While the warmer weather brings beautiful flowers and sunshine, it also brings a host of unwanted things. Insects and arachnids are beginning to wake up with the flowers and some of the most detested among them are ticks. However now it is not just your typical ticks you need to be fearful of. Entomologists are warning against two new tick species coming to Wyoming, and apparently one of them will hunt you down.
New Tick Species Have Entomologists On High Alert
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Well, tick season has already begun. Now, entomologists are on the lookout for two new tick species making their way to Wyoming. While the black-legged tick and the lone star tick do not yet have established populations in the state, entomologists are trying to ensure it stays that way. As far as the blood sucking arachnids go, these two tick species are some of the worst.
Cowboy State Daily had a conversation with entomologist Mikenna Smith about these specific blood-suckers. First, Smith shared that the "black-legged tick is notorious for carrying Lyme disease." Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that is caused by a tick bite. Early stages can produce a rash, fever, and joint stiffness among other symptoms. Without treatment, it worsens and affects the immune system, muscles and more. While many people improve with antibiotics it is a disease you want to avoid if possible.
Then, you have the lone-star tick. This tick is not without its diseases either. In fact, Smith stated that this particular tick species is ""a very aggressive biter that might carry nasty diseases, including pathogens that can trigger a meat allergy in humans."
Risk For Wyoming Residents?
The good news for Wyoming Residents is that " no black-legged ticks known to carry Lyme disease have shown up in Wyoming yet." Smith hypothesises that it is because the climate is too dry for them. However, residents of the state are not in the clear of all ticks. The lone-star tick can handle the dry climate and Wyoming's neighboring state of Nebraska has an established population of the hunter-style ticks.
If you are curious how to identify a lone star tick, the entomologist gives an easy identify for noticing it. The lone star tick has "a distinctive white spot in the middle of their backs, which is kind of shiny." Now entomologists are beginning their tick surveillance for the year. They want to ensure that these two new tick species stay far away from the state of Wyoming.
