Tick Control off the Host

Population Dynamics of Off-Host Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (Acari: Ixodidae) Larvae in Response to Habitat and Seasonality in South Texas

“…With high midday temperatures, 40% of R. microplus larvae would descend to soil levels then reascend to quest by early evening [ 45 ]. During the seasons with the highest temperatures, plants that provide good cover are crucial for the survival of the larvae [ 1 , 46 ]. In this experiment, the exposed habitats contained the lowest population sizes during the summer and fall.…”

“…The cattle fever tick, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (Canestrini), is a one-host tick known to transmit hemoparasites that cause bovine babesiosis and anaplasmosis [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]. In the early 1900s, babesiosis devastated the cattle industry and was detrimental to the U.S. economy.…”

Review: Political Violence in Egypt 1910–1925: Secret Societies, Plots and Assassinations Malak Badrawi

“…Rhipicephalus microplus is a one-host tick; once the larvae attach to a host, they mature from nymph to adult on a single host. The off-host and free-living phases of this tick’s life cycle are the preoviposition, oviposition, incubation, eclosion, and free-larval stages ( Legg 1930 ; Hitchcock 1955 ; Nuňez et al 1982 ). Of these stages, the host seeking larval stage is more easily sampled, as the other stages are generally concealed within the vegetation ( Wilkinson 1961 ).…”

“…Of these stages, the host seeking larval stage is more easily sampled, as the other stages are generally concealed within the vegetation ( Wilkinson 1961 ). R. microplus larvae are small, approximately 500 μm long and 400 μm wide, and not easily located by visual examination ( Nuňez et al 1982 ). After eclosion, the larvae tend to aggregate and climbonto vegetation, preferring the shaded side, and ascend to heights between 2.5 and 85.1 cm ( Garris and Popham 1990 ).…”