Invasive Tick Persists in New Jersey
Officials in New Jersey report that the invasive tick Haemaphysalis longicornis has successfully overwintered and was found once again on a rural property in mid-April 2018, after an infestation was reported there in 2017, the first such appearance of the species within North American borders.
Reporting Tick Bites to Public Health Agencies Helps ID Risk Areas for Lyme Disease
A study in Quebec highlights the value of reporting tick bites and submitting tick specimens to public health agencies. Such "passive surveillance" outpaces field collection of ticks in identifying areas of emerging risk for Lyme disease.
Tick Bites Tick: A Rare Case of Hard-Tick Hyperparasitism
A scanning electron micrograph shows an engorged female Ixodes angustus tick with a male I. angustus attached to its underside in typical feeding mode—a case of hyperparasitism presumed uncommon in the species.
Native to Asia, Found in New Jersey: The Curious Case of an Invasive Tick
In 2017, specimens of an "unusual-looking" tick were discovered in New Jersey and determined to be a species, Haemaphysalis longicornis, native to Asia. No established population of the species has ever been previously documented in the United States.
Why One Entomologist Had to Become a “Coordination Gladiator”
In her postdoctoral position with the USDA-ARS, entomologist Erika Machtinger directed a field study in which she had to manage "a field staff of six, countless rotating volunteers, laboratory support, and multiple institutions and landowners." All in a day's work for a busy entomologist! Learn more in the first of our new "Standout Early Career Professionals" Q&A series.
An Up-Close Look at the Tiny Sensory Pits That Ticks Use to Smell
A new study in the Journal of Medical Entomology offers the best look yet at the Haller's organ, a small sensory pit on the forelegs of ticks that they use to detect heat and chemical odors emitted by potential hosts.
Why the Variety of Tick Hosts in Your Back Yard Might Be a Good Thing
A new study in Connecticut finds that residential habitats harbor a greater diversity of animal hosts for blacklegged ticks, many of which don't transmit the Lyme disease pathogen Borrelia burgdorferi to ticks as well as white-footed mice do, thereby leading to lower levels of the pathogen's presence in residential areas compared to woodland habitats.
The Role of School Nurses in Integrated Pest Management for Public Health
School nurses deal directly with the effects of lice, ticks, and mosquitoes on students and can be an important addition to the IPM team.
The Current State of Integrated Tick Management
If you read the news, it can be easy to wonder why it seems like we’re losing the war against ticks and the diseases they transmit. Why, exactly, are ticks […]
Another Tick Species’ Saliva Found to Have Antitumor Properties
Millions of years of evolution have made ticks highly specialized bloodsuckers. In fact, researchers who have studied tick saliva have found a range of compounds that fight back host defenses […]
Manage Japanese Barberry to Keep Tick Levels Low, Reduce Lyme Risk
Clearing the invasive shrub Japanese barberry from a wooded area once can lead to a significant reduction in abundance of blacklegged ticks for as long as six years
CDC Study Sheds Light on New Lyme Disease-Causing Bacteria
A new species of bacteria that causes Lyme disease needs the same amount of time for transmission after a tick bite compared to previously implicated bacteria, according to new research […]
First Report of Dwarf Deer Tick Comes as Overall Population Soars
By Leslie Mertz If you have ever found a deer tick crawling on your shirt or sock, you know how difficult they can be to spot. Adult females are about […]
Fossilized Tick Carrying Pathogens in Mammalian Blood Cells Discovered in 15-Million-Year-Old Amber
Ticks have been pathogen-carrying parasites for a very, very long time. A new discovery in a specimen of fossilized amber, roughly 15 million to 20 million years old, reveals a […]
Ticks: If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Dab Their Animal Hosts With Insecticide
An emerging tool in the fight against tick-borne disease, host-targeted bait boxes employ a sneaky trick: turning some of ticks’ favorite carriers —small mammals like mice and chipmunks —against them. […]
Study Finds Lyme Disease in Ticks in Nine U.S. National Parks
Don't forget to pack repellent the next time you head out to commune with nature.