According to a research by Juliana Vidich in 1998, it was discovered that Western black-legged tick feeding on Western fence lizards, which are common blue belly lizards on walls, killed the bacteria, Borrelia Borgdorferi, that causes Lyme disease.

The tick lives as the blood is cleansed of the Borrelia bacteria, and its next bite becomes just a bite, rather than having any dangerous effects to the health, hence lizards, not only do they eat ticks, they stop them from transmitting Lyme disease to people.

However, the current research suggests: “There is a protein in the fence lizard's blood that kills the bacteria, but that protein has yet to be identified and hopefully, some day that protective protein will be identified and a vaccine or cure for Lyme disease will be available”.

People have been urged to help the Western fence lizard survive as much as they can, because the lizard's blood may be a major ingredient to the cure against the Lyme disease. Also, during the summer, which can be really hot, they have been asked to put some water in flower pot trays for them.

Moreover, Juliana Vidich stated: “It's a good practice to begin immediate antibiotic therapy after a tick has been feeding on your blood, regardless of whether or not a "bulls-eye" rash appears”.