As tick season approaches, experts warn that Illinois residents should be even more wary as the type of ticks in the state increases and the season lengthens.

Researchers discovered the Asian longhorned tick — an invasive species native to Japan, Korea and parts of China and Russia — in Illinois in April. First reported in the United States in 2017, the tick has since spread to 20 states.

“The role that this tick will play in the transmission of infections in humans is yet to be determined,” the Illinois Department of Public Health said in a recent statement.

But the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the tick is not likely to increase the spread of Lyme disease or cause a significant nuisance for humans. Instead, according to Mark Ernst, a veterinarian with the Illinois Department of Agriculture, the longhorned tick is most likely to affect cattle.

Though the longhorned tick generally targets cattle, Maureen Murray, assistant director of the Urban Wildlife Institute at Lincoln Park Zoo, said Chicago residents should be on the lookout for other types of ticks.

Tick patterns tend to vary significantly from year to year, Murray said, but one consistency has been a movement in tick season.

“We’re seeing less severe winters, which might lead to more ticks,” Murray said. “Fewer ticks die during the winter, and ticks can be active sooner in the spring, just because it warms up faster.”

Chris Stone, a medical entomologist at the Illinois Natural History Survey, said he suspects climate change is affecting the types of ticks in Illinois in a few different ways.

First, he said, warmer winters may be encouraging ticks to migrate. His lab has found the Gulf Coast tick, a tick that was once limited to the southern United States, across southern Illinois, he said. The tick can cause rickettsial disease, a type of Rocky Mountain spotted fever, in humans, which can cause fever, vomiting and even death.

“With particularly the winters getting milder, which is one of the main changes we’ve seen in Illinois over the past several decades, that could affect species and allow them to spread further north,” Stone said.

Murray urged Chicago residents not to fall for the common misconception that ticks are a rural problem. Chicagoans can come into contact with Gulf Coast ticks, deer ticks and other types of the disease-prone insects. Her institute has been doing surveys of Chicago green spaces since 2017 and has collected more than 1,000 ticks from different areas in the city over that time period.

“It’s really important to spend time outside and connect with nature in the city,” Murray said. “But we just want to make sure that people are aware that they could encounter ticks, and that there are straightforward steps for preventing tick bites.”

People should check themselves for ticks every time they exit a green space, she added.

Cattle producers also need to be vigilant, according to Ernst.

The longhorned tick can carry a disease that particularly affects pregnant cattle and calves, causing them to become anemic, weak and lethargic. There is no effective and approved treatment for the disease, Ernst said, so it can spread rapidly among surviving animals.

“We urge our cattle producers to check around their ears, under their tail, in their brisket areas, and look for large numbers of really small ticks,” Ernst said. “They’re only about the size of a sesame seed and can get up to the size of a pea when they’re engorged.”

Longhorned ticks also pose a particular threat because of their sheer numbers, he said.

“Female insects do not need a male in order to reproduce and can lay up to 2,000 eggs at a time,” Ernst said. “So it doesn’t take long for an area to become pretty well-saturated with this type of a tick.”

Becky Smith, an associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, teaches the public how to identify, prevent and treat tick-borne diseases.

Cattle have been affected by the disease in places like Australia, New Zealand and Pakistan, she said. So far, there has only been one affected cow in the United States, but scientists have proven ticks can carry the disease in labs in the United States, she said.

“The biggest concern is for the beef industry and for the sheep industry as well,” Smith said. “One female can produce thousands of eggs, and the real concern is if you get a really strong infestation, a calf can die from blood loss.”

Smith added that people should be particularly aware of the risks of any kind of tick bite.

“Ticks are expanding their range,” Smith said. “They’re moving into a lot of places, and Illinois is at the frontline of that. We’re getting more ticks everywhere. We’ve seen a tenfold increase in the number of tick-borne illnesses. It’s time to be aware.”

The Illinois Senate approved a bill Friday that would allow artists to sue entities that replicate their work through artificial intelligence without their consent.

The bill, HB4875, does not apply in special circumstances, such as news, satire and parody. 

“Recording artists and musicians have never had an easy path, especially starting out,” State Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D-Glenview) said in a Friday news release. “HB4875 gives artists a path to restitution when their likeness is used to generate profit without their authorization.”

Earlier in the week, the Senate also passed the Digital Voice and Likeness Protection Act, which requires artists to have representation during negotiations and prevents contractors from replacing artists with AI-generated content.

State Sen. Mary Edly-Allen (D-Libertyville) sponsored both bills.

“While AI is a powerful tool with the potential to do much good, guardrails are necessary to protect artists and the general public,” Edly-Allen said in the Friday news release.

Both bills will return to the Illinois House for a concurrence vote because the bills were changed during the Senate’s decision.

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CARBONDALE – Entering one of its busiest construction seasons ever, the Illinois Department of Transportation announced today that major projects in Southern Illinois are planned or underway, fueled by Gov. JB Pritzker’s historic, bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital program. Twelve major projects combined represent a total investment of nearly $545 million, improving safety and mobility while sustaining and creating good-paying jobs throughout the region.

“Rebuild Illinois is revitalizing communities and neighborhoods by investing in projects and people in Southern Illinois and throughout the state,” said Gov. Pritzker. “Through the largest capital program in state history, IDOT will be delivering improvements to build a more resilient, accessible and equitable system of transportation for generations to come, while creating jobs and enhancing local quality of life.”

Of the 12 major projects in Southern Illinois, one is scheduled to be completed in 2024 and the remaining 11 are anticipated to be completed from 2025 through 2028.

• Interstate 57, mileposts 66-75, expansion to six lanes and replacement of bridges over the Big Muddy River in Jackson County began in spring 2022 and is anticipated to be completed in 2025. Nighttime lane closures are anticipated.
• I-57, mileposts 75-85, expansion to six lanes and replacement of bridges over Marcum Branch and Gun Creek in Franklin County begins in 2025 and is anticipated to be completed in 2028. Nighttime lane closures are anticipated.
• I-57, mileposts 85-92, expansion to six lanes and replacement of structures over Dodds Creek in Jefferson County begins in 2024 and is anticipated to be completed in 2026. Nighttime lane closures are anticipated.
• I-57/64, Illinois 15 interchange reconstruction in Jefferson County is anticipated to begin in 2025. Nighttime lane closures are anticipated.
• I-24, milepost 27.5, bridge replacement in Massac County began in 2023 and is anticipated to be completed in 2024. Traffic will use a crossover configuration.
• I-24, mileposts 0-13, resurfacing and bridge repairs in Johnson and Williamson counties begins in 2024 and is anticipated to be completed in 2025. Lane closures are anticipated.
• I-24 bridge deck and bridge painting on the Ohio River Bridge in Massac County begins in 2025 and is anticipated to be completed in 2027. Traffic delays are expected.
• Illinois 146 in Vienna from U.S. 45 to east of I-24 in Johnson County includes pavement widening to accommodate a center turn lane, multiuse path extension and a roundabout at Illinois 146 and Red Bud Lane. The project began in 2024 and is anticipated to be completed in 2025. Daytime and nighttime lane closures with detours for the roundabout construction are expected.
• Illinois 149 at I-57 in Franklin County includes construction of roundabouts at I-57 ramp intersections, pavement reconstruction, bridge repairs, multiuse path and sidewalk. The project began in 2024 and is anticipated to be completed in 2025. Daytime and nighttime lane closures are expected.
• I-64 from Washington County Line to I-57 near Mt. Vernon in Jefferson County includes pavement reconstruction and bridge work. The project began in 2023 and is expected to be completed in 2026. Crossovers with daytime and nighttime lane closures are anticipated.
• Illinois 14 in McLeansboro at the abandoned railroad underpass in Hamilton County includes old railroad bridge removal, elevation adjustment and construction of new pavement, curbs, gutters and storm sewers. The project is expected to begin in 2024 and completed in 2025. Road closure with detour is anticipated.
• Illinois 13 from Spillway Road to Shawnee Trail in Williamson County includes pavement widening, resurfacing, traffic signals, bridge replacement over Crab Orchard Lake and a multiuse path. The project is anticipated to begin in 2025 and be completed in 2027. Daytime and nighttime lane closures are expected.

“Investing in the infrastructure of Southern Illinois not only creates new job opportunities but also demonstrates the state’s commitment to our region’s economic potential,” said state Sen. Dale Fowler (R-Harrisburg). “I’m excited to see these initiatives move forward, bringing much-needed upgrades and improvements and ensuring our infrastructure remains safe and resilient for the future.”

“I am excited by the state’s commitment to Southern Illinois and the improvement of the region’s infrastructure and economy,” said state Sen. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro). “With this significant investment, we can ensure that Southern Illinois continues to grow and thrive for generations to come.”

Passed in 2019, Rebuild Illinois is investing a total of $33.2 billion over six years into the state’s aging transportation system, creating jobs and promoting economic growth. Rebuild Illinois is not only the largest capital program in state history, but also the first that touches all modes of transportation: roads and bridges, transit, waterways, freight and passenger rail, aviation, and bicycle and pedestrian accommodations.

“I want to thank the Illinois Department of Transportation leadership and Gov. Pritzker for their continued investments in our downstate infrastructure,” said Robert Spencer, mayor of Pinckneyville and president of the Southern Illinois Mayors Association. “These Rebuild Illinois capital projects are improving our transportation systems to make Southern Illinois safer and more modern, all while creating good-paying jobs for our residents.”

Accomplishments through March 31 of Rebuild Illinois include approximately $14.8 billion of improvements statewide on 6,078 miles of highways, 629 bridges and 895 additional safety improvements. Visit https://idot.click/Rebuild-Illinois for information and highlights of other Rebuild Illinois projects happening throughout the state.

“Under Gov. Pritzker, IDOT continues to deliver projects in Southern Illinois that strengthen the state’s entire multimodal system of transportation,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. “If you are traveling anywhere in Illinois this construction season, you will be traveling through work zones. Put down the devices. Follow the signs. And when you see orange, slow down and save lives.”