Asian Longhorned Tick | National Invasive Species Information Center

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Asian longhorned tick, adult female dorsal view climbing on a blade of grass - Photo by James Gathany; CDC

Scientific Name:

Haemaphysalis longicornis Neumann, 1901 (Hoogstraal et al. 1968)

Common Name:

Asian longhorned tick, bush tick, cattle tick

Native To:

Eastern Asia (Egizi et al. 2020)

Date of U.S. Introduction:

First detected in New Jersey in 2017, but specimens were collected as early as 2010 (Egizi et al. 2020)

Means of Introduction:

Has been intercepted at U.S. ports of entry on imported animals and materials (CDC 2018)

Impact:

Potential vector of several human and animal diseases present in the United States (CDC 2018)

Spotlights

Asian Longhorned Tick Spreading Widely in U.S. (Nov 29, 2018)

DHHS. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is working with public health, agricultural, and academic experts to understand the possible threat posed by the spread of the Asian longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis) in several U.S. states since its discovery in 2017, according to today’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. "The full public health and agricultural impact of this tick discovery and spread is unknown," said Ben Beard, Ph.D., deputy director of CDC's Division of Vector-Borne Diseases. "In other parts of the world, the Asian longhorned tick can transmit many types of pathogens common in the United States. We are concerned that this tick, which can cause massive infestations on animals, on people, and in the environment, is spreading in the United States."

The Asian Longhorned Tick: What You Need to Know and What You Can Do - A USDA Story Map

USDA. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

Ticks may not seem dangerous, but they can cause disease and even death in livestock and pets. There are hundreds of tick species in the world, about 10 percent of these species are found in the United States. Now there’s one more to watch out for. In 2017, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) confirmed the presence of the Asian longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis). It probably arrived in the United States in or before 2010. Exactly how or when is unknown, but one thing is certain: it may have entered on domestic pets, horses, livestock or people. While we know the impact of this tick in other parts of the world, we are still studying how they may affect U.S. agriculture, and our environment.

Distribution / Maps / Survey Status

National Haemaphysalis longicornis (Asian longhorned tick) Situation Report (PDF | 568 KB)

USDA. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

Includes first date of Asian longhorned tick detections by state, county, and host

Reports of Haemaphysalis longicornis in the United States

University of Georgia. College of Veterinary Medicine. Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study.

Images

Google Images - Asian Longhorned Tick

Google.

Invasive.org - East Asian Tick

University of Georgia. Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health.

Videos

YouTube - Asian Longhorned Ticks

Google. YouTube; Oklahoma State University. SUNUP TV.

Selected Resources

The section below contains highly relevant resources for this species, organized by source. Or, to display all related content view all resources for Asian Longhorned Tick.

Partnership

Longhorned Tick a.k.a. Cattle Tick or Bush Tick

Northeast Regional Center for Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases.

Federal Government

Longhorned Tick: Information for Livestock and Pet Owners (Jan 2020) (PDF | 271 KB)

USDA. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

See also: Cattle - Longhorned Ticks for more resources

What You Need to Know About Asian Longhorned Ticks - A New Tick in the United States

DHHS. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

International Government

The Asian Longhorned Tick: Assessing Public Health Implications for Ontario (Sep 2019) (PDF | 1.74 MB)

Public Health Ontario (Canada).