Haemaphysalis longicornis; ALT
Biology
- One parthenogenic female (reproduces without males) can produce hundreds or thousands of offspring
- Cold temperature tolerance creates potential for establishment in the northeast
- Broad host range – but prefers cattle
- Attaching to birds and wildlife allow ALT to spread quickly over an increasing area
- Preferred habitat: pastures, meadows
Distribution
- Native to Eastern Asia, invasive ALT became the highly problematic ‘cattle tick’ on Australia and New Zealand livestock
- Since the 2017 discovery in New Jersey, it’s now in New York and many Northeastern states
Impact: ALT damages livestock health and impairs milk production
- Severe infestation causes anemia or death from blood loss
- ALT feeding can transmit bovine theileriosis and parasites that cause babesiosis
- Theileriosis can significantly reduce milk production and kill calves
Management
- Monitor livestock regularly for ticks – collect and submit suspicious ticks for identification
- Typical tick insecticide treatments—ear tags, sprays, dips, pour-ons and powders—are effective against ALT
IPM for livestock ticks
- Inspect animals regularly for ticks
- When indicated, use timely application of insecticides
- Minimize tick habitat in pasture and feedlots by keeping grasses and weeds trimmed
- Pasture rotation
- Deer exclusion limits re-introduction of ticks from wildlife
- Chickens and guinea fowl in pastures eat adult ticks, but typically not nymphs
- Opossums eat vast amounts of ticks
