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An invasive tick that has not yet been confirmed in Nebraska, buthas been detected in nearby states, is worth keeping on the radar this grazing season. That is the Asian longhorned tick.
This tick was first detected in the United States in 2017 and has since spread into a number of states, including Kansas, Iowa, and Missouri. While it has not been confirmed in Nebraska as of March 2026, its presence in neighboring states means producers here should stay alert, especially as cattle move onto pasture and spend more time in habitats where ticks are more likely to survive.
What makes the Asian longhorned tick especially concerning is how quickly it can build numbers. In the United States, these ticks appear to reproduce mainly without mating, meaning females can produce offspring on their own. A single female can lay hundreds to thousands of eggs, and under favorable conditions development from egg to adult can happen in about three months. That means once introduced, populations can increase rapidly.
The other major concern is disease transmission. The Asian longhorned tick can carry Theileria orientalis Ikeda, a parasite that infects cattle and causes bovine theileriosis. Infected cattle may show anemia, weakness, poor appetite, lethargy, fever, abortions and in severe cases increased sickness or death. Some animals may show only mild signs, but infected cattle can remain carriers for life. There is currently no direct treatment for theileriosis, so prevention and early detection are especially important.
For Nebraska producers, one of the best things to do right now is simply make tick inspection part of normal cattle handling. When cattle are brought in for vaccinations, pregnancy checking, sorting or other routine work, take a close look around the eyes, ears, neck, brisket, tailhead, udder and inside the legs. Producers should also have a general idea of what to look for. Asian longhorned ticks are very small, about 2 millimeters before feeding, roughly the size of a sesame or mustard seed. They are typically light brown to burnt orange in color, so they can be easy to miss during a quick check. If you find unusually high numbers of very small ticks on one animal, that is worth paying attention to. Because proper identification can be difficult, suspicious ticks should be removed carefully, placed in alcohol, and submitted through a veterinarian or Extension office for confirmation.
Pasture conditions also matter. Ticks tend to do better in taller grass, brushy areas, wooded edges, and moist low-lying sites. Keeping an eye on cattle grazing those environments may improve your chances of catching a problem early. If producers bring in cattle from regions where this tick is already present, those animals should be inspected carefully, isolated when possible, and considered for treatment with an approved tick control product before mixing with the resident herd. Good Beef Quality Assurance practices also matter, since blood transfer through shared needles can spread Theileria between cattle.
If unusual ticks are found, collect several specimens in alcohol and work through your veterinarian or Extension office for identification. The Nebraska Veterinary Diagnostic Center can assist with preliminary tick identification, and suspected Asian longhorned tick detections in Nebraska should also be reported to the Nebraska Department of Agriculture.
The bottom line is this: the Asian longhorned tick is not a confirmed Nebraska problem today, but it is close enough that awareness matters. Routine cattle inspection, sound biosecurity and early reporting can go a long way in helping protect Nebraska herds.
— Ben Beckman is a beef Extension Educator based out of the Cedar County Extension office in Hartington. You can reach him by phone: (402) 254-6821 or email: [email protected] mailto:[email protected]
