Asian Ticks Found on Sheep in New Jersey! How to Avoid Ticks While Hiking & Prevent Tick Bites

Have you heard about the infestation of Asian Ticks found on a sheep here in New Jersey? If you haven’t, Ross Environmental Solutions is here to tell you, and yes you read that right, Asian ticks! Also known as Longhorn Ticks or Bush Ticks. You are probably wondering how a tick found in Asia make its way around the world to New Jersey? This question is puzzling researchers so we decided to delve deeper into the origins and risks of this pest.

Lyme Disease & Other Health Risks of Longhorn Ticks to Humans & Animals

Asian ticks are formally known by the name Haemaphysalis Longicornis. They are found in East and Central Asia as well as the Pacific Islands. Asian Ticks carry an array of diseases. Some of those diseases are Lyme Spirochetes, Ehrlichia, Chaffeensis, Anaplasma Bovisshave, and Tick-borne Encephalitis to name a few. This particular species of Tick is especially harmful to farmers because they multiply so rapidly and come together in such alarming numbers that they cause rapid blood loss to cattle ultimately killing them. These ticks are known to lower milk production in cows that survive the infestation. The trouble doesn’t stop there, it also affects the quality and quantity of wool the farmers depend on from their flocks of sheep. For an arachnid that only gets to the size of a watermelon seed, these blood sucking mini vampires can cause a whole lot of damage! It gets worse though. These pests can live unfed for up to a year! They can reproduce by essentially cloning themselves in a process called Parthenogenesis which means they reproduce very quickly. All ticks feed on blood, and this particular species will feed on both humans and animals.

How to Prevent Tick Bites

Asian Ticks are typically found in wooded areas but can make it into one’s home by hitchhiking on our pets or us. Here in New Jersey everyone is pretty tick smart and knows to inspect our pets and any clothing we are wearing before going inside to avoid ticks making their way into our homes. However, if you happen to notice one on your clothing, be sure to wash them right away or stick them into the freezer. Freezing is an effective way to kill ticks.

Dog & Cat Tick Treatment

Veterinarians say ticks are becoming a year round problem for pet owners, especially for those living in our state of New Jersey. One vet in a recent news interview stated he is seeing more cases of Lyme disease than heartworm! It is recommended you should check dogs and cats for ticks and treat them with a preventive medication throughout the whole year, not just in summer.

Tick Control

New Jersey has one of the highest numbers of cases of Lyme disease in the whole country. Adding another tick species to our list is a problem we definitely don’t need. If you have any inkling that you may have spotted one of these invasive ticks, call an experienced pest control company like Ross Environmental Solutions right away. It is hoped that any surviving larvae would not have made it through the winter. If by chance any may have survived, we must be diligent in recognizing and eliminating the problem quickly and efficiently. Ross Environmental Solutions is experienced in exterminating infestations of ticks and can help you with all your pest control needs!