BERRIEN COUNTY, Mich. -- With an invasive species of tick found in Berrien County, those who enjoy the outside should be on high alert.
“So, the Asian Longhorned Tick, there’s still research going on with this species, but it has posed more of an animal health risk than human. But as humans we still have to worry about that, we love our pets, we love our dogs, cats, and what the tick has really had a huge impact on is the cattle industry, the livestock.”
Brian Murphy, from the Berrien County Health Department says the tick was found in Grand Mere State Park in Stevensville earlier in June, and since then, an area of the park has been routinely checked for the tick.
Other sites in Berrien County have been checked, but the Asian Longhorned Tick hasn't turned up yet. This marks the first county in Michiana that the tick has been found in, previously the closest it had been found was in Southern Indiana.
“And what separates them, differentiates them from other ticks is their reproductive capability; they're asexual. They can lay up to 3000 without mating so, which makes it very concerning. And that’s why they’ve been spreading so quickly to this area," said Murphy.
Not only is it the reproductive capabilities of the ticks, but the size of them makes them hard to contain.
Murphy said, “But yeah, it could be very tiny, very small. The size of a sesame seed. They found thousands of ticks on just one single cow."
Murphy says with the small size and more people heading outside, there's one surefire way to stop the spread.
“It’s your tick check, lots of people are conscious about what they put on their skin as far as repellent, but tick checks are so important. You know, remove them, take the shower after you’re done being out in the woods or whatever you’re doing," Murphy said.
It's not just the tick check for yourself, but also for your pet, since the Asian Longhorned Tick carries pathogens that animals are more susceptible to.
Of course, a good measure before you head out is to apply tick repellent, and to wear lighter colored clothing so it would be easier to find the tick.
Lighter clothing and longer clothing would be ideal, but it is summer in Michiana, so maybe some tall socks will help do the trick.
Once you’re inside again, do a tick check, and also make sure that you’re rinsing off properly, even getting into those hard-to-reach places.
If you want to take it another step further, throw those outdoor clothes in the dryer on high heat for about ten to fifteen minutes. That should kill the ticks.