First Confirmed Longhorned Tick Found in Maryland.

August 7, 2018
State Urges Marylanders to take Precautions to Protect Livestock, Pets, and Humans

' National Veterinary Services Laboratory test has confirmed the presence of the Haemaphysalis longicornis tick, also known as the East Asian tick, the longhorned tick, and the bush tick, in Maryland. This is the first confirmed sighting of this tick species in the state. The longhorned tick was found on a white-tailed deer in Washington County and was confirmed on Friday, July 27.

The state’s Departments of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources are working together to inform the public about this new, invasive species and to urge Marylanders to take the necessary precautions to protect livestock, pets, and family members, and report any unusual ticks or a high concentration of tick bites to the University of Maryland’s Assistant Professor of Entomology Dr. Megan Fritz.

“In order to keep livestock and pets safe, we encourage owners to check their animals for a high concentration of tick bites or abnormal ticks,” said the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s State Veterinarian Dr. Michael Radebaugh. “This species of ticks are known to cling to hosts in high numbers. If too many of these ticks attach themselves to an animal, it could cause stunted growth, decreased production, major blood loss, and has the potential to spread diseases.”'>>>

http://news.maryland.gov/dnr/2018/08/07/first-confirmed-longhorned-tick-found-in-maryland/