Health officials have found not one, two, or three, but four “rare” and “exotic” tick species in Connecticut in recent years, and state scientists are warning travelers to check themselves for ticks before heading home. Non-native ticks likely enter the United States by hitchhiking on travelers’ bodies.
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Local news station WFSB says the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) reported the presence of at least four exotic tick species on Monday. The species are native to Guatemala, Costa Rica, Belize, Tanzania, Germany, Poland, and Scotland. At this time, scientists say the foreign ticks’ populations haven’t risen to the point of a public health threat.
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The rare tick species include two Amblyomma mixtum nymphs from Guatemala and Costa Rica, one Amblyomma coelebs nymph from Belize, one Rhipicephalus pulchellus female from Tanzania, two Ixodes ricinus nymphs from Germany and Poland, and one I. ricinus larva from Scotland. Of these, WFSB says the two A. mixtum nymphs tested positive for Rickettsia amblyommatis.
To protect yourself from ticks this summer and beyond, wear protective clothing and bug spray when recreating in areas prone to ticks. Thoroughly check your skin after spending time outdoors, and check your children and pets, too. If you do discover a tick on your body, proper removal is key. Use a tick-removal tool or tweezers and follow these instructions from the CDC.
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