Asian Longhorned Tick Confirmed in Alabama

The Asian longhorned tick has reached Alabama. The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries reported in April 2026 that the tick was found on a dog in DeKalb County, in the northeast corner of the state.

The tick is native to eastern Asia and was first confirmed in the United States by USDA in 2017. Alabama’s notice said it was in 24 eastern states as of April. By July 18, a University of Tennessee vector-borne disease working group listed 27 states with active detections, including Alabama and Connecticut, and more than 400 county detections nationwide.

What makes this tick a problem is how fast it can build up. Females can reproduce without mating and lay roughly 1,000 to 2,000 eggs at a time, so a single tick can start a new population. Heavy infestations on livestock can weaken animals and stunt weight gain.

The main animal health worry is Theileria orientalis, a blood parasite of cattle that the tick is known to spread. Alabama officials also noted the tick can carry the agents of Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Heartland virus. The University of Tennessee summary reported that multiple Theileria types are circulating in the U.S. and that Ohio has seen a sharp rise in detections compared with 2021.

New county finds in 2026 included spots in Arkansas, Kentucky, New York, North Carolina and seven Pennsylvania counties, according to the working group. Producers have tried spraying, ear tags, mowing and other pesticide treatments, with mixed results.

Alabama’s guidance for animal owners is to check animals often, especially the head, neck, flanks, armpits, groin and under the tail. The state recommends keeping grass and weeds trimmed, clearing brush and using acaricides. Unusual or heavy infestations should be reported to a veterinarian, extension agent or the State Veterinarian’s Office.

For pest control companies, the longhorned tick is mostly a residential and rural property issue. It shows up on dogs, in pastures and in the overgrown edges where lawns meet woods. Because it does not look like the deer ticks and lone star ticks most customers know, a homeowner may bring one in a bag and ask what it is. That is a good moment to get a proper ID through the local extension office, especially in a county where it has not been reported before.