New Species Of Tick Could Be In Your Back Yard

It’s not uncommon these days for new species of ticks to be showing up in parts of the United States. This time New York has identified a new inhabitant in Westchester County called the Haemaphysalis longicornis tick. It’s not just in New York that these disease spreading pests have been found, they have even spread to New Jersey, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina and Arkansas. Here’s an article with some more information.

A new tick species ID’ed in NY

State and federal health officials are warning New Yorkers to take renewed precautions against ticks after a new species was recently discovered in Westchester County. Haemaphysalis longicornis tick, commonly known as the “longhorned tick,” was discovered in locations around the county recently. The tick is not native to the U.S. and is commonly found in Australia, New Zealand and eastern Asia.

It is not yet known whether these particular types of tick are responsible for transmitting diseases to humans, and therefore further research is required. Ticks are a risk to not only us, but also to animals, so it’s imperative that you know how to keep yourself safe, and as a responsible pet owner, your furry friends too.

If you are spending time outdoors, then you need to be protected. And that also goes for if you are just spending time in your back yard!

How to Prevent Tick Bites and Control Ticks in Your Yard

While spring brings sunshine and warm weather, it also brings ticks. When the weather heats up and outdoor activity increases, so do tick bites. Ticks carry and transmit dangerous diseases, like Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Your risk of being bitten by an infected tick is highest in the spring and summer. This means it is crucial to know where you can expect to encounter ticks, how to protect yourself from tick bites, and how to control ticks in your yard.

Tick control is one of the best methods in making your yard as tick free as possible. It’s worth the investment, and with the unknown tick species that are lurking about out there, who knows which ones will next be finding your back yard a nice place to live.