Be On The Lookout, A New Type Of Tick Has Been Spotted Near Kansas
By Lisa Sammons|Published February 22, 2023
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Lisa Sammons
Author
Lisa loves animals and has dogs, rats, cats, guinea pigs, and snakes. She is passionate about animal rescue and live music - traveling across the country to see a favorite band is a pretty regular occurrence! Being out hiking in the woods enjoying the scenery with her beloved dogs is another favorite hobby, and also checking out the Pokemon Go scene in whatever city she happens to be in at any given time (coffee and dog leash in hand). You can reach Lisa at lsammons@onlyinyourstate.com
Thanks to the fact there’s more international travel than ever before, invasive species are frequently in the news. From plants to arachnids to reptiles, it’s not uncommon for species to end up where they’re not supposed to. Whether it’s a stowaway insect on a decorative plant shipped overseas from China or an escaped pet snake, we even have invasive species in Kansas. One invasive species that’s been in the news lately is the Asian longhorned tick. This arachnid is considered an agricultural pest and it’s been spotted in around 20 states, including our neighbor, Missouri. It’s extremely likely we already have Asian longhorned ticks in Kansas – after all, these little critters aren’t aware of state lines!
The Asian longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis) is also known as the longhorned tick or bush tick. Like all ticks, they're parasitic arachnids that live off the blood of mammals, birds, and/or reptiles.
Ticks of all species pose a danger to people and domestic pets. Any time you or your pets have been outside in warm weather, make sure to check yourself over carefully for ticks. This is especially true in forested, brushy areas or grassy fields.
Ticks are known to carry diseases like Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. There hasn't been any spread of disease by Asian longhorned ticks in the U.S., but it's better to be safe than sorry.
If you find a tick on you or an animal, use tweezers to grasp the tick firmly as close to the skin as possible and pull straight up. Clean the bite area with soap and water and dispose of the tick by placing it in a sealed container and then either killing it in the freezer or with alcohol.