Climate-change-expansion
Guides
Ixodes scapularis
deer tick, black-legged tick, bear tick, Eastern Black-legged Tick
Ixodes scapularis is a hard-bodied tick native to the eastern and upper midwestern United States, with expanding populations in Canada. It is the primary vector of Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi) in North America and transmits multiple other pathogens including Babesia microti, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and Powassan virus. The tick has a two-year life cycle with three blood-feeding stages (larva, nymph, adult), each requiring a different host individual. Climate change is driving northward range expansion and increased human encounters.
Stictocephala bisonia
Buffalo Treehopper
Stictocephala bisonia, commonly known as the buffalo treehopper, is a Nearctic treehopper species native to North America that has become a widespread invasive pest across the northern hemisphere. First introduced to Europe over 100 years ago, it has actively expanded its range in recent decades and was first recorded in China in 2017 and India in 2024. The species is polyphagous, feeding on diverse plant hosts including young fruit trees, berry bushes, and grapevines, and has been implicated as a potential vector of phytoplasmas affecting fruit trees. Its successful invasion has been linked to climate change, global trade, and genetic adaptations for detoxification and cold resistance.