We have so much to look forward to, from longer days to warmer temperatures, when spring rolls around in Rhode Island. However, with the good comes some bad, including the busiest time of the year for a relatively new tick in Rhode Island. While you may not come into contact with the Asian longhorned tick, you should know what to look out for and what to do if you do find one.

Although it isn’t typically found in the Western Hemisphere, the Asian longhorned tick was first discovered in the United States in 2017. Today, the new tick has been confirmed, as of August 2022, in 18 states, including in neighboring Connecticut and Massachusetts.
Wikipedia/Desmond W. Helmore - Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research
The tick first appeared on Block Island in 2020. Within a year, it was reported on the mainland. Ticks usually pose the biggest risk in the spring, summer, and fall, although they can be found in the winter if the temperatures don’t drop below freezing.
Flickr/David Wilson
Not a great deal is known about the Asian longhorned tick in the United States. Researchers are trying to determine, for example, whether they thrive more in open spaces or in the woods. The ticks have been found on everything from grass and shrubs to animals and humans.
Flickr/Jimmy Emerson DVM

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The good news, as least so far, is that researchers don’t believe Asian longhorned ticks, which can reproduce without a partner, are as “attracted to human skin” as other types of ticks, like the American dog tick.
CDC
It’s important to note that the CDC asserts that bites from Asian longhorned ticks have, in some instances, resulted in serious illnesses in both humans and animals in other countries. Research is in the early stages and has not found such occurrences in the United States yet.
If you see a tick or find one on you or your pet, remove it immediately. The CDC recommends saving the tick in either a jar or a plastic bag with rubbing alcohol before contacting the Rhode Island Department of Health.
CDC
Should you discover a tick on you, get in touch with your physician as soon as possible, and if you find the Asian longhorned tick on your pet, contact their veterinarian.
Wikipedia/Commonsource
Learn more about the Asian longhorned tick, and other ticks, on the CDC website.
Wikipedia/James Gathany

Have you seen any Asian longhorned ticks in Rhode Island? Let us know in the comments! Now is a good time to prepare for the arrival of another invasive species in Rhode Island.

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