Be On The Lookout - A New Type Of Tick Has Been Spotted In Pennsylvania
By Beth Price-Williams|Published February 15, 2023
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Beth Price-Williams
Author
A professional writer for more than two decades, Beth has lived in nearly a dozen states – from Missouri and Virginia to Connecticut and Vermont – and Toronto, Canada. In addition to traveling extensively in the U.S. and the U.K., she has a BA in Journalism from Point Park University (PA), a MA in Holocaust & Genocide Studies from Stockton University (NJ), and a Master of Professional Writing from Chatham University (PA). A writer and editor for Only In Your State since 2016, Beth grew up in and currently lives outside of Pittsburgh and when she’s not writing or hanging out with her bunnies, budgies, and chinchilla, she and her daughter are out chasing waterfalls.
Warm weather’s arrival is often welcomed with open arms by Pennsylvanians. After all, we have so much to look forward to – from sunny days outdoors to the thrills of a day at our favorite amusement park. However, the warmer weather also means there are a few things we need to be on the lookout for, including spotted lanternflies and Joro spiders. There’s also a new tick in Pennsylvania.
The Asian longhorned tick, not traditionally found in the Western Hemisphere, was first spotted in the United States in 2017. It wasn’t until the following year, however, that the first confirmed cases were reported in Pennsylvania.
Today, the invasive tick has spread to at least 18 states as of August 2022, including New Jersey, New York, Ohio, and West Virginia. The Asian longhorned tick is tiny, measuring around four millimeters long at the most.
With a two-year lifespan, the Asian longhorned tick is usually most active from the spring through the fall with adults usually at their busiest from June through August. The ticks can produce asexually and often produce as many as 3,000 eggs.
Even though cases have been reported in more than a dozen states, researchers still know relatively little about this invasive tick. The CDC believes that the Asian longhorned tick isn’t as “attracted to human skin” as more common ticks, including the blacklegged tick.
Research is ongoing as to the impact of a bite from an Asian longhorned tick on humans and animals. In other parts of the world, the tick’s bite has resulted in serious illness in some cases. That has not been the case in the United States yet.
Ongoing research will also determine where Asian longhorned ticks are most commonly found – in the woods, for example, or in open areas. So far they’ve been found on grass, shrubs, and animals, including wildlife.
If you find an Asian longhorned tick on you or one of your pets, remove it immediately. Make sure to store it in a plastic bag or a jar with rubbing alcohol then contact your local department of health. Collected ticks will help researchers.
Have you seen an Asian longhorned tick in Pennsylvania? Let us know in the comments! Insects aren’t the only thing to look out for, either. Keep an eye out for the most dangerous animals in Pennsylvania, too.
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