VPA 221: Veterinary Entomology and Acarology (1+1)

BIOLOGICAL CONTROL

Predators

• Certain ants (e.g. Buphagus) and birds (e.g. Crows) are known to consume ticks - this happens naturally in mixed farming

Parasitism

• Parasitoids which are parasitic during the immature stages and destroy the host as the immature stage completes its development 
• The control of ticks by this method is very limited.
• Significant reduction in tick population was exerted by Ixodiphagus sp and Hunterellus hookeri
• Bacteria such as Bacillus thuringiensis are known to cause tick mortality
• Some Fungus eg. Aspergillus grow on tick cuticle and cause mortality
• Similarly microsporidia - Nosema act as stomach poison following ingestion by ticks

Botanical

• A leguminous plant Stylosanthes scabra is known to cause mortality in larval and nymphal stages of Boophilus microplus and Rhipicephalus sanguineus