10/09/2026
There's a new tick moving into the Midwest and Illinois, and here's some facts to keep you, your pets, and your livestock safe! 🦟🔍
Meet the Asian longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis). Native to East Asia, this invasive pest was first spotted in west-central Illinois in 2024 (and confirmed in the following Illinois counties: Hamilton, Clay, and Pope)!
Here’s what makes this little pest so unusual (and why you should care):
🧬 1. Female Power... Literally!
Female Asian longhorned ticks reproduce through parthenogenesis—meaning they don't need a male to reproduce. A single female can drop onto a pasture, lay up to 2,000 eggs all by herself, and start an entire population!
🔎 2. Master of Disguise
Unfed, they are tiny—about the size of a sesame seed—and plain reddish-brown with no distinctive spots or patterns.
🐄 3. Big Threat to Livestock
While they'll gladly hitch a ride on pets, wildlife, and humans, they love cattle, horses, sheep, and goats. Swarms of hundreds or thousands on a single animal can cause severe anemia, weight loss, and carry livestock diseases.
🌾 4. Where They Hang Out
They favor humid, overgrown pastures, tall grass, and the edges of wooded areas—right where woods meet pastures.
Spotted unusual tick clusters on your animals? Contact your local Health Department, Extension Office or veterinarian!
