Sisters unite and conquer!  

That might be the war cry of the Asian longhorned tick, haemaphysalis longicomis. Yes, this column will be about ticks, so, if necessary, cease reading or at least know that you will be feeling — imagined or not — creepy crawlers all over your body and shuddering for the remainder of this article.  

Asian longhorned ticks are also call bush ticks, cattle ticks, and shrub ticks. Their bodies are light brown without any patterning, and they are quick movers. As larvae, they are the size of a pinhead, grow to poppy-seed size as nymphs and, as engorged adults, they will be no larger than a pea.  

To date, all of the Asian longhorned ticks in this country are female but that hasn’t stopped their advance. Female empowerment is just the beginning for this invasive tick, which has marched or been carried across 18 states since first being detected in the U.S. in 2017.  

Practicing parthenogenesis, Asian longhorned ticks can reproduce without mating and each individual female can produce up to 2,000 eggs at a time.  

Considered hyperendemic — meaning that they have a high incidence in a small area — Asian longhorned ticks have been reported to cover grasses at a rate of more than 10 ticks per blade.  

Last week, Tufts University’s Dr. Sam Telford reported the presence of this tick on Nantucket, finding more than 100 ticks at four sites That is just the beginning for this superspreader.    

And — hold the presses — Dr. Telford has just confirmed its presence on our Island. Hailing from Southeast Asia, this tick has spread in its new home through wildlife vectors such as birds, pets and livestock. It was on a sheep in New Jersey that the new species was first detected on this continent.  

The Asia longhorned tick is believed to affect and sicken animals more than people. That might be the only tick good news that I can report.  And it doesn’t carry many of the tick-borne illnesses that are concerning to us, including Lyme.  

Cattle, sheep, deer, rabbit, birds, dogs, horses, pigs, goat, alpaca and even chicken are among its animal hosts. With this tick’s known fecundity, it can cause some serious damage to its prey, including anemia, illnesses, weakness and even bleeding out and death if enough ticks overtake the animal.  

Humans do not seem to be the favored target of these ticks. In its native region, it is known to transmit virus and protozoan diseases.  Laboratory research here suggests that they might be able to carry diseases, but to date no illnesses have been found to have been transferred to humans from this pest. 

With this first report, we now know that they are found on our shores. Taking a refrain from Beyonce, we know that “all the single ladies” will be amassing and, since they don’t need a male, won’t need to put a ring on it. Remember the sisterhood is powerful and, like it or not, these ladies are here to stay. 

Suzan Bellincampi is Islands director for Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary in Edgartown and the Nantucket Wildlife Sanctuaries. She is also the author of Martha’s Vineyard: A Field Guide to Island Nature and The Nature of Martha’s Vineyard.