A new tick could soon be found in Clay County that could potentially be dangerous to livestock, pets, and possibly people.
The Asian longhorn tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis, gets its name from anatomic spurs associated with the mouthparts. It is an invasive tick spreading throughout the eastern United States and is native to the Far East. Originally from China, Japan, and Korea, it was introduced to New Zealand, Australia, and several Pacific islands. This species was first introduced to the US mainland in 2010 and has been reported from 17 states, including North Carolina.
Because the tick can reproduce asexually, meaning without needing a male, a female can lay anywhere from 900-3,300 eggs at a time, increasing the population at increasing rates. Known hosts for the Asian Longhorned Tick include cats, dogs, cattle, goats, horses, and sheep, as well as wild species and occasionally humans and birds. Heavy infestation causes blood loss and poor growth and development among the animals. It is important to note that the Asian Longhorned Tick is not able to transmit Lyme Disease but can transmit other known pathogens, such as Anaplasmosa, Theileria, Rickettsia, Babesia, Borrelia, Ehrlichia, all of which affect humans and animals.
To protect yourself from these ticks, you can use an insect repellent to help keep the tick off of you. You can protect pets and animals by contacting your veterinarian to determine which approved tick preventative is best for your animal.
More information on the Asian Longhorn Tick
