The Asian Longhorned Tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis, is relatively new to the Western Hemisphere. Here is an introduction to this recent invader.
Where Did the Asian Longhorned Tick Come From?
The Asia Longhorned Tick species is native to East and Central Asia, but is also found in Australia and New Zealand. It was first detected in the U.S. in New Jersey in September, 2017. As of March, 2019, it has been documented in Arkansas, Connecticut, Maryland, North Carolina, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Uniquely Prolific
One reason the Asian Longhorned Tick is frightening is its ability to reproduce….without sex. A single female can lay up to 2,000 viable eggs without fertilization by a male. This is called parthenogenesis.
Females have a two- to three-week adult lifespan during late spring and early summer. Larvae hatch and seek hosts in late summer. They drop off hosts and overwinter in leaf litter, molting into larger “nymphs” the following spring. The nymphs find another host, feed, drop off, and molt into adults, which seek hosts in mid-summer.
Be Vigilant but Don’t Panic
The Asian Longhorned Tick is mostly a livestock pest, but here in America it has also been found on pets, a variety of wild mammals, and people, too.
With regards to livestock, the tick is known to transmit bovine theileriosis to cattle, which can dramatically reduce milk production. Large numbers of individual ticks on one animal can cause anemia.
In their native lands, these ticks are known to carry the bacteria responsible for anaplasmosis, Japanese Spotted Fever, Lyme disease, and ehrlichiosis, plus the Powassan and Heartland viruses. Circumstantial evidence suggests it can transmit Severe Fever and Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus (SFTSV), which causes a human hemorrhagic fever. There are not yet any reports of this tick infecting any person or pet in the U.S. with any pathogen.
Avoiding Asian Longhorned Ticks
Prevent contact with all ticks by avoiding tall grass, the edges of woodlands, and narrow forest paths where you brush against vegetation. Take these added precautions, too:
- Wear light-colored, long-sleeve shirts and pants (cuffs tucked into socks for good measure). Ticks are easiest to spot on pale colors.
- Use repellents with DEET as the active ingredient, such as Ben’s® products. Apply only as directed for safety and best results.
- Inspect yourself, family members, and pets upon returning to home or camp after a day in the field. Shower if possible.
- Safely remove any attached tick by grasping it firmly with tweezers or forceps, as close to the head of the tick as possible. Pull steadily until it is extracted. Save the specimen for identification later. See your physician for treatment.
Enjoy the great outdoors, but do so wisely with attention to prevention.