PHOTO: CDC

If you think you know your ticks, you might need to think again.

Many pest management professionals are not yet familiar with the Asian longhorned tick, which is quickly making its way across the Unites States.

This month, Pest Management Professional (PMP) columnist Mark “Shep” Sheperdigian, BCE, takes a closer look at Haemaphysalis longicornis. This tick is common in several Asian countries, but was first spotted in New Jersey in 2017. It has since been found in Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

The challenge with this species is females do not need a mate to reproduce and lay eggs. Thousands of ticks can be found at a time in grass or shrubs, or on an animal. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more info at CDC.gov/ticks/longhorned-tick.

Asian longhorned ticks have been found on pets, livestock and people across the country. Entomologists are conducting research to learn more about this invasive species. Stay tuned to PMP, as we will follow and share their research findings.

Read Shep’s column about the Asian longhorned tick now: There’s a new tick in town