New invasive tick species blamed for death of 3 cows in Ohio

ATLANTA (WTVD) -- An invasive species of tick has made its way into North Carolina, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention warns.

Asian longhorned ticks first arrived in the western hemisphere in 2017, but now their presence is causing alarms.

That's because three cows in Ohio died after being bit tens of thousands of times by the ticks.

Researchers said they can reproduce quickly, hide in tall grass and survive harsh conditions. The asian longhorned ticks appear to be less attracted to human skin than other well-known native tick species. It remains unclear if they can pass diseases to humans.

The CDC said the ticks have been seen in 19 states as of April of 2023:

• Arkansas
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Georgia
• Indiana
• Kentucky
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Missouri
• New Jersey
• New York
• North Carolina
• Ohio
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Virginia
• West Virginia