54 Nebraskaland • August-September 2019
MIXED BAG
The Nebraska Department of Agriculture is conducting
surveys in 2019 to better determine which tick species are
present in Nebraska. American dog tick, winter tick, brown
dog tick and lone star tick are all known to be established
in the state. In 2018, the Gulf Coast tick was found in two
separate instances in Nebraska, indicating the tick may be
expanding its range into our state. Since spring 2019, the
department has confirmed deer tick, or blacklegged tick,
in
Douglas, Sarpy and Saunders counties in eastern Nebraska.
Ticks are known to carry a number of diseases that can
be transmitted to humans and animals as the ticks feed.
For example, deer tick can vector Lyme disease, and the
American dog tick can transmit Rocky Mountain spotted
fever and tularemia, all bacterial diseases. The lone star
tick may vector a number of diseases, including human
ehrlichiosis (bacterial) and Heartland virus. The Gulf Coast
tick can infect dogs and humans with Rickettsia parkeri and
Hepatozoon americanum.
The invasive longhorned tick, native to parts of Asia, is
also cause for concern. This tick is known to infest both
livestock and humans, and carries a number of serious
diseases. It was discovered in the United States in New Jersey
in 2017, infesting sheep. Since that time, infestations have
been confirmed in seven additional states, but the tick has
not yet been found in Nebraska.
Tick feeding also can result in tissue damage to livestock
and wildlife hosts, blood loss, and ultimately weight loss,
health decline or even death.
The department's surveys will continue through the end
of the year and will likely continue in 2020. Survey methods
include field surveys, carbon dioxide trapping, livestock
surveys and surveys of hunter harvested deer at deer check
stations. Tick specimens will be tested to determine what,
if any, diseases they carried. This data will assist the public,
livestock producers and health professionals by providing a
more complete picture of the distribution of tick species in
the state.
TICK SURVEY
By Julie Van Meter, State Entomologist,
Nebraska Department of Agriculture
PHOTOS
BY
SUSAN
ELLIS,
USDA
APHIS
PPQ,
BUGWOOD.ORG
American dog tick female. Lone Star tick.
