Abstract:
The invasion of the Asian longhorned tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis Neumann, into the United States poses a significant ecological, veterinarian, and public health threat. We conducted a comprehensive tick survey using standard tick flagging protocol for collection over 3 field seasons, March-August, and 56 surveyed sites to identify the presence of H. longicornis in the native ecosystem and prove its establishment according to USDA criteria. Of the total 56 state parks and wildlife management areas (WMA) surveyed, only one was found to be invaded by H. longicornis; detection of H. longicornis occurred at Buck Shoals Wildlife Management area in White County, GA. This site is maintained by the state of Georgia, has no agricultural animals present, and hosts a large white-tailed deer population. After the initial detection of H. longicornis in 2022, an additional field season occurred in 2023, where H. longicornis was confirmed as established based on USDA criteria. The increase in H. longicornis populations from 2021 to 2023 at Buck Shoals WMA points to the rapid spread of this tick within the environment. Our findings provide evidence of the rapid establishment of H. longicornis in the southern edge of suitability for this tick and within the native ecosystem beyond farmlands and private land.
摘要:
亚洲长角蜱的入侵,Neumann,进入美国构成了一个重要的生态,兽医,和公共卫生威胁。我们使用标准的蜱标记协议进行了全面的蜱调查,以收集3个野外季节,3月-8月,和56个调查地点,以确定H.longicornis在本地生态系统中的存在,并根据USDA标准证明其建立。在接受调查的56个州立公园和野生动物管理区(WMA)中,只有一个被H.longicornis入侵;H.longicornis的检测发生在怀特县的巴克浅滩野生动物管理区,GA.该网站由佐治亚州维护,没有农业动物在场,并拥有大量白尾鹿。在2022年首次发现H.longicornis之后,在2023年又出现了一个野外季节,其中H.longicornis被确认为根据USDA标准建立的。从2021年到2023年,BuckShoalsWMA的长毛H.longicornis种群的增加表明了这种tick在环境中的迅速传播。我们的发现提供了证据,证明H.longicornis在适合该tick的南部边缘以及农田和私人土地以外的本地生态系统中迅速建立。