The Longhorned Tick: A New Species for the US & Texas
The longhorned tick is from Asia and there are now reports of these pests in the US. As of 2018 no longhorned ticks were reported in Texas. The concern is that this tick is a generalist – It will feed on whomever or whatever is available and that means it is likely to spread around the US quickly.
The nearest State to report Longhorned Ticks is Arkansas and that means Texas is in sight for expansion. The likely source will through animal migration. Historically, the bite from these ticks is serious to animals and human and may cause severe illness per the CDC. [1] It is important to note that even though these ticks make people and animals ill those ticks collected and studied have not produced a dangerous vector.
Currently, longhorned ticks are reported in Arkansas, Connecticut, Maryland, North, Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia – That’s a lot of territory for a tick that was first reported in the US in 2017.
2019 is expected to be a big tick year due to the milder winter. In 2019, the spring is expected to be warm and wet and that means more plant growth, early and a longer and active season for ticks.
What You Can Do
- Keep your yard neat and remove leaf litter quickly.
- Make sure pets are treated for flea and ticks
- Choose light-colored clothing that ticks will show up on better.
- Consider an ongoing perimeter control for ticks
If bitten by a tick, save the tick by removing it and dropping it into a rubbing alcohol solution. You can also put it in a plastic bag and then put the plastic bag in the freezer.
For more information about tick and flea control, Give us a call. Our professionals are happy to answer your questions or schedule a service call .We provide comprehensive and affordable pest control services throughout the Bryan and College Station communities.
[1] Longhorned Ticks – CDC
