Yes, ticks are those little bugs that have eight legs, look like miniature spiders, and suck on blood. Though that isn’t the reason that the CDC is worried about them.

Ticks carry disease such as Lyme disease, Ehrlichiosis, rocky mountain spotted fever, and other types of spotted fever.

Because of these different diseases that already exist, the CDC wants to make sure that people watch out for the Asian Longhorned Tick, as these ticks are foreign and could be fatal to people’s health.

Not only is there the problem of foreign disease, but also the rate in which the Asian Longhorned Tick is able to reproduce. This kind of tick can reproduce, not only without a mate, but on it’s own, a female Asian Longhorned Tick can produce 2,000 eggs without a mate.

Nine states have already reported that they have found Asian Longhorned Tick infestations, which are Arkansas, Connecticut, Maryland, North Carolina, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.

New Zealand has said that they have the tick, and it is affecting their cattle.

A Washington Post reporter, Lena H. Sun, has found that The Asian Longhorned tick reduces milk production from cattle in New Zealand by 25%.

The Washington Post has reported that the United states has not had a tick infestation for 80 years. The last tick infestation in the United States was the Rocky Mountain tick in 1938.

Although the Asian Longhorned tick seems scary, there are still ways to prevent from getting them, and with that being said, Floridians don’t have to worry just yet. The tick has not yet been reported to be found in Florida just yet, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t worth getting ready for the tick to pop-up in Florida.

Because of the Asian Longhorned tick’s ability for the female to reproduce aesexualy, meaning reproducing without the need of a male, the tick is able to quickly spread from state to state. So if someone has visited the nine states that have reported having Asian Longhorned ticks, then make sure that ticks are not on that person, as these ticks will stick to people in the hundreds.

But, there is nothing to be fretting about just yet, because the best way to avoid getting spotted fever, or Lyme disease, is to wear long sleeves and jeans where ticks are known to hangout and in places that are well known to have them, along with having bug spray.

No worries though, just be aware of what comes home and what decides to plunge its head into people’s skin.