Benji Jones: In the summer of 2019,
Benji Jones: In the summer of 2019,

a bull was found dead on a farm in North Carolina.
a bull was found dead on a farm in North Carolina.

Dead by exsanguination.
Dead by exsanguination.

Which means it was drained of blood.
Which means it was drained of blood.

The culprit wasn't real-life vampires,
The culprit wasn't real-life vampires,

but something just as frightening:
but something just as frightening:

an army of more than 1,000 Asian longhorned ticks.
an army of more than 1,000 Asian longhorned ticks.

But here's the thing.
But here's the thing.

As scary as that sounds,
As scary as that sounds,

Asian longhorns are just one
Asian longhorns are just one

of about 90 tick species found in the US.
of about 90 tick species found in the US.

All of them suck blood, all of them can carry disease,
All of them suck blood, all of them can carry disease,

and all of them are incredibly difficult to kill.
and all of them are incredibly difficult to kill.

The Asian longhorned tick is truly a villainous pest.
The Asian longhorned tick is truly a villainous pest.

Not only is it an invasive species,
Not only is it an invasive species,

but it can also clone itself over and over again.
but it can also clone itself over and over again.

Since it was first reported in 2017,
Since it was first reported in 2017,

it's crawled its way to at least 12 other states.
it's crawled its way to at least 12 other states.

Including where we are here, New York.
Including where we are here, New York.

Danielle Tufts: OK, so this is an adult.
Danielle Tufts: OK, so this is an adult.

This looks like the Asian longhorned tick to me.
This looks like the Asian longhorned tick to me.

Jones: So this the infamous
Jones: So this the infamous

Asian longhorn tick? Tufts: Yep.
Asian longhorn tick? Tufts: Yep.

Jones: That's Danielle Tufts,
Jones: That's Danielle Tufts,

a disease ecologist at Columbia University.
a disease ecologist at Columbia University.

She's studying ticks in Staten Island
She's studying ticks in Staten Island

to figure out what diseases they carry.
to figure out what diseases they carry.

But first, she has to collect them.
But first, she has to collect them.

Tufts: So, this is what we call a drag cloth,
Tufts: So, this is what we call a drag cloth,

and it's a meter by meter, so a meter squared.
and it's a meter by meter, so a meter squared.

And basically what we would do
And basically what we would do

is we just walk at a nice, even, slow pace
is we just walk at a nice, even, slow pace

and drag this right behind us.
and drag this right behind us.

And we'll stop every about 20 meters or so,
And we'll stop every about 20 meters or so,

and we'll flip the cloth over,
and we'll flip the cloth over,

and we'll look for whatever ticks are on the backside.
and we'll look for whatever ticks are on the backside.

Jones: Contrary to what many people believe,
Jones: Contrary to what many people believe,

ticks don't actively seek you out.
ticks don't actively seek you out.

Tufts: Ah, so here's a tick right here.
Tufts: Ah, so here's a tick right here.

Jones: Tick spotted!
Jones: Tick spotted!

So many ticks in this forest. Tufts: Oh, yeah.
So many ticks in this forest. Tufts: Oh, yeah.

This is a very ticky forest.
This is a very ticky forest.

Jones: And they're definitely
Jones: And they're definitely

not jumping on you from trees.
not jumping on you from trees.

In fact, ticks can't even jump.
In fact, ticks can't even jump.

They're actually more like opportunists
They're actually more like opportunists

who take what they can get.
who take what they can get.

Tufts: Ticks are what we call sit-and-wait predators,
Tufts: Ticks are what we call sit-and-wait predators,

where they climb up to the top of the blades of grass
where they climb up to the top of the blades of grass

and they put their arms out.
and they put their arms out.

And at the top of their arms they have little sticky pads.
And at the top of their arms they have little sticky pads.

And those pads will get attracted to this.
And those pads will get attracted to this.

And this is how they get stuck on your pants
And this is how they get stuck on your pants

or on other animals in the wild as well.
or on other animals in the wild as well.

Jones: And what do you call the, like,
Jones: And what do you call the, like,

when they stick their hands up like this?
when they stick their hands up like this?

Tufts: We call that questing or host-seeking.
Tufts: We call that questing or host-seeking.

Jones: Yeah, ticks are literally on a quest for blood!
Jones: Yeah, ticks are literally on a quest for blood!

And they've mastered the art of extracting it,
And they've mastered the art of extracting it,

all without getting caught.
all without getting caught.

After a tick crawls onto you,
After a tick crawls onto you,

it sneaks into a concealed crevice, like your armpit.
it sneaks into a concealed crevice, like your armpit.

And after that, it uses two horrifying hooklike structures
And after that, it uses two horrifying hooklike structures

to tear into your flesh and keep from falling off.
to tear into your flesh and keep from falling off.

Then, they insert what is basically a straw
Then, they insert what is basically a straw

covered in spikes, like a piece of barbed wire,
covered in spikes, like a piece of barbed wire,

which makes them even harder to remove.
which makes them even harder to remove.

And this sounds like it would hurt, a lot.
And this sounds like it would hurt, a lot.

But ticks have another trick up their sleeve,
But ticks have another trick up their sleeve,

or rather their mouth.
or rather their mouth.

Saliva.
Saliva.

It's a tick's ultimate weapon to avoid detection.
It's a tick's ultimate weapon to avoid detection.

It contains pain-numbing properties,
It contains pain-numbing properties,

so you don't notice them
so you don't notice them

even as they stab and rip your flesh.
even as they stab and rip your flesh.

Plus, it suppresses your immune system,
Plus, it suppresses your immune system,

so the wound is less likely to get red or itchy.
so the wound is less likely to get red or itchy.

That's why ticks can stay in you undetected for days,
That's why ticks can stay in you undetected for days,

even as they grow to several times their normal size.
even as they grow to several times their normal size.

And if you do find a tick in time to get it off,
And if you do find a tick in time to get it off,

it won't die easily.
it won't die easily.

Tufts says that ticks can survive
Tufts says that ticks can survive

for as long as two years without a blood meal.
for as long as two years without a blood meal.

And they're also masters of the elements.
And they're also masters of the elements.

They can tolerate long periods of drought,
They can tolerate long periods of drought,

and some species can survive underwater
and some species can survive underwater

for two to three days.
for two to three days.

So, yeah, flushing them down the toilet or sink
So, yeah, flushing them down the toilet or sink

likely won't kill them.
likely won't kill them.

Tufts: If you put them in the sink, sometimes
Tufts: If you put them in the sink, sometimes

they'll crawl back out of the sink.
they'll crawl back out of the sink.

Jones: Now, all of this wouldn't be such a big problem
Jones: Now, all of this wouldn't be such a big problem

if it weren't for the diseases they carry.
if it weren't for the diseases they carry.

In the US alone,
In the US alone,

they transmit at least 16 diseases to humans.
they transmit at least 16 diseases to humans.

That's more than any other insect, including mosquitoes.
That's more than any other insect, including mosquitoes.

Lyme disease alone, for example,
Lyme disease alone, for example,

infects an estimated 300,000 Americans each year.
infects an estimated 300,000 Americans each year.

And it's only getting worse.
And it's only getting worse.

In 2004, there were about 23,000 cases of tick-borne disease
In 2004, there were about 23,000 cases of tick-borne disease

reported to the CDC.
reported to the CDC.

But by 2017,
But by 2017,

that number had almost tripled to nearly 60,000.
that number had almost tripled to nearly 60,000.

But what isn't clear is why.
But what isn't clear is why.

Why ticks and the diseases they carry are spreading.
Why ticks and the diseases they carry are spreading.

Though Tufts and other scientists say
Though Tufts and other scientists say

that climate change is at least partly to blame.
that climate change is at least partly to blame.

Tufts: We've been having pretty mild winters,
Tufts: We've been having pretty mild winters,

which can promote survival,
which can promote survival,

overwintering survival of hosts and of the vectors,
overwintering survival of hosts and of the vectors,

which also will lead to new expansion.
which also will lead to new expansion.

Jones: Whatever the reason, there are tons of ticks.
Jones: Whatever the reason, there are tons of ticks.

Pretty much everywhere.
Pretty much everywhere.

So, the next time you go for a hike,
So, the next time you go for a hike,

keep these tips in mind.
keep these tips in mind.

Stay on the trails, where ticks are less likely to hang out.
Stay on the trails, where ticks are less likely to hang out.

Wear bug spray; preferably something with DEET.
Wear bug spray; preferably something with DEET.

Tuck your pants into your socks,
Tuck your pants into your socks,

so nothing can crawl onto your legs.
so nothing can crawl onto your legs.

Wear light clothes, so anything that does get on you
Wear light clothes, so anything that does get on you

is easy to spot.
is easy to spot.

And, of course, always do a tick check
And, of course, always do a tick check

once you're out of the woods.
once you're out of the woods.

All right, so we're gonna do a tick check,
All right, so we're gonna do a tick check,

which you recommend doing after you get out of the woods.
which you recommend doing after you get out of the woods.

Tufts: Absolutely.
Tufts: Absolutely.

Jones: So, crevices...
Jones: So, crevices...

Tufts: What you want to look for is on your pants.
Tufts: What you want to look for is on your pants.

I wear rubber boots, so that they don't crawl up there.
I wear rubber boots, so that they don't crawl up there.

But, like, for here, my pants,
But, like, for here, my pants,

any of these little crevices along here, I would look for.
any of these little crevices along here, I would look for.

Jones: I mean, I feel like those little guys are definitely,
Jones: I mean, I feel like those little guys are definitely,

like, the larvae form are definitely on me, right?
like, the larvae form are definitely on me, right?

Somewhere.
Somewhere.

Tufts: Maybe, maybe not.
Tufts: Maybe, maybe not.

And then you want to check up around your belt region.
And then you want to check up around your belt region.

Jones: This is, like, not safe for work.
Jones: This is, like, not safe for work.

Tufts: It's also good when you are hiking with a friend
Tufts: It's also good when you are hiking with a friend

to check each other.
to check each other.

So, for instance, I would check your back.
So, for instance, I would check your back.

Jones: I feel like we're like chimpanzees or something.
Jones: I feel like we're like chimpanzees or something.

Tufts: Yeah, grooming behavior.
Tufts: Yeah, grooming behavior.

So, you want to check all along the sleeves,
So, you want to check all along the sleeves,

on anywhere on the back. Jones: So really, like,
on anywhere on the back. Jones: So really, like,

on top of clothing?
on top of clothing?

Like, you don't need to, like, strip down?
Like, you don't need to, like, strip down?

Tufts: No, no, you can strip down later in the shower.
Tufts: No, no, you can strip down later in the shower.

Jones: Great.
Jones: Great.