Farm Progress America, May 3, 2024

Mike Pearson reminds listeners to keep an eye out for ticks as the warm weather begins across the USA.

For six years, the Asian Longhorn tick has been spreading across the country.

Researchers at Ohio State University published a paper last fall on the insects and things to look for when it comes to the specific tick.

One thing about the Asian Longhorn tick is the speed that the females can reproduce and overwhelm livestock leading to their deaths.

A female Asian Longhorn tick does not need a male in order to reproduce which makes the bug incredibly dangerous.

In one case in Ohio, researchers found thousands on a couple of cattle and the researchers didn't even count the bugs for two hours.

The Asian Longhorn tick is not native to the USA.

The female Asian Longhorn tick can quickly produce between one and two thousands eggs.

The insect has now spread across nine states.

Farm Progress America is a daily look at key issues in agriculture. It is produced and presented by Mike Pearson, farm broadcaster and host of This Week in Agribusiness .