Be On The Lookout, A New Type Of Tick Has Been Spotted In Massachusetts

Of all the creepy crawlies that are out there, ticks can invoke a sense of panic and disgust. They are disease carriers after all. Between Lyme Disease, Babesiosis, and Anaplasmosis, infected humans can experience fever, chills, body aches, fatigue, and worse. The most common ticks in Massachusetts are deer ticks, dog ticks, and Lone Star ticks. However, a new tick was discovered quite recently. Back in August 2022, the Asian long-horned tick, unfortunately, made its way to the Bay State. Here's what you need to know:

The Asian long-horned tick, or Haemaphysalis longicornis, first made its appearance in the United States in 2017. Since then, they have been found on people, pets, and livestock.

(Pictured here is an unfed female Haemaphysalis longicornis.)

By August 2022, this particular species of ticks have been found along the Eastern seaboard as well as parts of the Midwest. And yes, Massachusetts is one of the states the Asian long-horned tick has been spotted in.

Other states include Missouri, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. So, keep that in mind if you're traveling to any of those states.

The Asian long-horned tick isn't as attracted to human skin as other tick species. However, they can still be found on humans.

The females have the ability to reproduce without mating which is an interesting fact about this tick species.

While this particular tick species isn't as likely to spread Lyme disease as the other species, it is known to carry the bacteria for Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

For more information on the Asian long-horned tick, visit the CDC website.

There are several ways to protect yourself against ticks. First, educate yourself about the types of ticks that are found in Massachusetts. Secondly, wear a long-sleeved shirt as well as long pants, preferably tucked into your socks. You can also use a tick repellent -- check out the selection of insect and tick repellents at REI. Just don't let the ticks and other insects scare you from hiking in Massachusetts!