Photo: Ladislav Kubeš / iStock / Getty Images
(Iowa) — The cooler weather isn't cool enough to stop the tick season. This year, a new species of tick is threatening Iowa livestock.
"Recently, we have seen the introduction of the Asian Longhorned Tick, which is an invasive species and is newly discovered in the state. At least for now, our understanding is that this doesn't have a major impact on human health," said Ryan Smith, Iowa State University.
The Asian Longhorned Tick is an invasive species that breeds quickly, causes heavy infestations, and can transmit diseases to livestock, specifically cattle. It has shown up in parts of southern and eastern Iowa this summer. This breed of ticks is able to produce much more rapidly, because they are able to lay eggs without mating.
The other main tick species in Iowa are the American Dog Tick, the Lone Star Tick, and the Tiny Deer Tick. These three ticks can transmit a variety of diseases to humans, including Lyme Disease and Rickettsia.
"The faster that you can get a tick off of you that has hitchhiked on you can really have dramatic impacts for disease transmission," said Smith.
He said that if you're able to get a tick off of you within the first 36 hours, you are much less likely to develop Lyme Disease.
Smith says they'll survive the cooler weather until it is consistently below 40 degrees.