Invasive ticks are expanding in the US, researchers say

(CNN) - Asian longhorned ticks are spreading across the United States.

Researchers said the invasive species arrived in the Western Hemisphere in 2017, but they are now sounding the alarm after three cows in Ohio died from tens of thousands of bites.

According to an analysis published in the Journal of Medical Entomology, scientists gathered nearly 10,000 ticks in just 90 minutes at the cow pasture.

In addition to Ohio, the invasive species has been spotted in Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

Researchers say the ticks can reproduce quickly, hide in tall grass and survive in harsh conditions.

It is still unclear whether they can pass diseases to humans, but they appear to be less attracted to human skin.

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