Invasive Species Resources

In 2019, the Alaska Office of the State Veterinarian, in collaboration with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the University of Alaska, began the Alaska Submit-A-Tick Program. Through this program, individuals who find ticks on themselves, their family members, pets, or wildlife (e.g. hunted or trapped animals) can submit ticks for species identification and pathogen testing. Researchers are asking Alaskans to submit ticks to help determine which tick species are currently in the state. Tick submissions will also help us learn more about how ticks are being imported into Alaska so that we can create effective strategies to limit their introduction. Ticks can transmit bacteria, parasites, and viruses that can cause diseases in humans and wildlife. Pathogen testing allows us to assess tickborne disease risk in the state.

Anglers and hunters and other boaters who use the state's waterways are being reminded by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission's Fisheries Division of a new regulation that took effect Jan. 1, 2021, requiring all boat drain plugs to be removed before and during trailering of vessels to and from access facilities on lakes, rivers and streams. A similar boat plug regulation was already in place in 21 other states to help stop the spread of aquatic nuisance species, and the new AGFC rule was part of an extensive list of regulations recommended by the Fisheries Division and approved by the Commission in 2020, to take effect beginning Jan. 1. Aquatic nuisance species such as silver carp, giant salvinia, zebra mussels and others continue to spread across waterbodies in Arkansas, and the AGFC has as its mission a responsibility to put mechanisms in place to slow the spread.

The AR Forestry Division aims to maintain healthy, productive forest ecosystems by preventing, detecting, and suppressing damaging insects and diseases across all land ownerships.

Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) today announced the United States Department of Agriculture's National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa, has confirmed that an exotic tick, known as the Asian longhorned tick, has been found in Gallia County. "Due to the nature of this pest, the female ticks can reproduce without a male, so it only takes one tick to create an established population in a new location," said ODA State Veterinarian Dr. Tony Forshey. "This pest is especially fatal to livestock, so producers should practice preventative measures and be on the lookout for this new threat."

The Asian longhorned tick is an exotic East Asian tick that is known as a serious pest to livestock. U.S. Department of Agriculture first confirmed the presence of this tick in the U.S. in New Jersey in 2017. In the United States, the tick has been found in or near counties with large horse, cattle, and sheep populations. To protect against infestations, farmers should check their livestock for ticks regularly. If producers spot unusual looking ticks or large infestations, report this to your local veterinarian or ODA's Division of Animal Health at 614-728-6220.