Laura Harrington

Professor of Entomology

Laura Harrington, professor of entomology specializing in vector-borne diseases, says she is closely monitoring the invasive Asian longhorned tick as it pushes into New York state. She also shares tips on keeping yourself safe while outdoors.

Harrington says:

“Over the past year, we’ve continued to detect range expansion of the Asian longhorned tick, a new invasive tick species moving into New York state and the Northeast. So far, it hasn’t been found to be infected with human pathogens. In addition, the Lone Star tick, which is associated with meat allergy from its bites, is expanding in New York. Cornell is leading a community science project, the New York State Tick Blitz, to learn more about both species’ distribution this summer.

“A bacterial infection that causes Lyme disease is the most important tickborne human infection in the U.S. with around 200-300,000 reported cases per year. The blacklegged tick or ‘deer tick’ is the vector of Lyme disease in most U.S. cases. It can also transmit other pathogens to people and pets. Blacklegged ticks are most common in forested areas and shaded trail edges with abundant leaf litter and shrubby plants.

“Personal protection measures are important to consider before going outside. You should wear repellent, light-colored clothing and tuck your pantlegs into your socks. You can also treat your clothing with permethrin or purchase permethrin-treated clothing. For more information on choosing a repellent, we have developed Insect Repellent Essentials: A Brief Guide. More details on tick bite prevention practices for you and your pets can be found here.”