Updated 7-9-19

Giles County folks vacationing in East Tennessee should be aware of a new kind of creepy-crawly this summer.

The invasive Asian longhorned tick, which can reproduce without mating, has been found in East Tennessee counties.

So far, only two people have been bitten while walking in a field.

Dogs, cattle, white-tailed deer and small ruminants like sheep and goats may be at risk of being bitten.

The tick is being studied by a team at the University of Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, the state Health Department, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

There are no reports of the tick farther south than Tennessee.

The ticks have been shown to carry multiple infections and viruses, but to date, no infectious agents have been identified in the Asian longhorned ticks.

If a person finds a tick outside or on an animal, they can participate in the study by sending it to the University of Tennessee or take it in a bag to the Giles County Extension Agent.

When a tick is found on a human, remove the tick with its mouthparts, and place it in a labeled zip closed bag and give it to a medical professional if that person begin to have symptoms of tickborne illness.