Tick Scouting Partnership with Capital Region PRISM
In partnership with the Capital Region PRISM program, NYSIPM Extension Support Specialist Joellen Lampman, a trusted authority on ticks and tick prevention, and Livestock Specialist Kenneth Wise spent the summer of 2022 scouting for Asian longhorned ticks (ALT) in both the Capital and Hudson Valley regions. While their scouting efforts were successful, their findings weren’t cause for celebration—they confirmed the tick on livestock for the first time in New York State and on domestic pigs for the first time in the United States.
ALT's Potential Impact
ALT is a major threat to livestock, with females laying up to 2000 eggs without a male. In North Carolina and Ohio, cattle have died from ALT infestations, and with a large number of dairy and beef cows, sheep, goats and horses in New York, many of whom go unchecked for ticks, this invasive species has the potential to result in extreme economic losses.
Information Sharing with Farmers
In order to ensure that farmers recognized this new threat, NYSIPM staff members traveled to farmer’s markets in Albany, Columbia and Rensselaer counties to share information directly with farmers and growers. These interactions resulted not only in an opportunity for information sharing and relationship-building, but also led to many farm owners offering their operations for scouting.
