The current study was designed to compare the acaricidal activity of pure thymol (T) crystals, eucalyptus oil (E), and their combinations (T + E) at concentrations ranging from 0.625 to 10% against phenotypically deltamethrin-resistant Rhipicephalus annulatus ticks. The adulticidal, larvicidal, ovicidal, and repellent activities of the tested compounds and their possible mechanism of action were studied

Ticks and fleas are arthropods widely distributed around the world involved in the transmission of various vector-borne diseases (VBDs), including Brazilian Spotted Fever (BSF), Baggio-Yoshinari Syndrome and the plague, with outstanding consequences for the public health. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of Rickettsia spp., Borrelia spp. and Yersinia pestis in arthropods collected

The family Phytoseiidae contains many predatory mite species and some are used in biological control programs worldwide. The identification of phytoseiid mites is based on tiny morphological structures and sometimes species diagnosis is not easy especially for non-taxonomists. DNA-based approaches may offer a fast and accurate diagnosis to overcome these difficulties, nevertheless more DNA sequences

The poultry red mite, Dermanyssus gallinae, is a blood-feeding parasite of layer hens and a potential vector of several avian infectious agents. High infestation with D. gallinae in layer farm buildings could result in economic losses, and the mites may act as a reservoir of avian pathogens within farms. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of D. gallinae in layer farm buildings in Korea and to

Tetranychus urticae is the main pest of strawberry crops and can cause up to 80% of productivity losses under high infestations. Aiming to search T. urticae management alternatives compatible with eco-friendly or organic-based food production systems, this study evaluated the lethal and sublethal toxicities of formulated derivatives from Annonaceae (rich in acetogenins) against this pest species. In

Predatory mites of the Phytoseiidae family are important biological control agents. Many species of this family are omnivores, i.e., besides on prey, they can feed on plant resources such as nectar and pollen. It has been shown that the addition of alternative food for predators to a crop enhances biological control. However, factors such as food availability and quality can also affect interactions

Ticks are obligate hematophagous ectoparasites as well as mechanical and biological vectors of a wide variety of microbial pathogens. To date, 19 tick-borne diseases have been reported from Turkey. In this study, ticks collected from Aydın, İzmir and Şanlıurfa provinces of Turkey were identified using morphological and molecular methods. After the presence of bacterial DNA was checked, Rickettsia spp

The poultry red mite (PRM), Dermanyssus gallinae, is an ectoparasite of great importance related to poultry farms worldwide. Problems associated with its control have led to the search for alternative treatments, especially using inert dust, which has recently been introduced into liquid formulations. Therefore, the objective of this work was to evaluate the acaricidal activity of a liquid diatomaceous

We investigated feeding and fecundity of the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae), on leaves of cucumber (Cucumis sativus) seedlings that had been acclimatized to different light intensities. Based on these data, we analyzed the relationships between mite performance (feeding and fecundity) and leaf properties. The cucumber seedlings were grown in controlled-environment

Shifting of trophic niches of soil microarthropods may allow them to adapt to changing resource conditions as induced by global change processes. However, the capability of microarthropods to shift their trophic niches is little studied. Whereas some studies based on stable isotopes (15N/13C) point to distinct and narrow trophic niches, others indicate that trophic niches are plastic. Here, we investigated

Peanut red spider mite, Tetranychus ogmophallos, exhibits a peculiar dispersal behavior using silk balls, which involves clustering of mites and spinning of webs at the top of plants. Such a dispersal mechanism has not been studied for this species yet. Therefore, this study aimed at using mathematical models to describe aerial dispersal and silk ball formation of peanut red spider mite on peanut plants

Competitive interaction between sister species can be affected by reproductive interference (RI) depending on the ability of males to discriminate conspecific from heterospecific mates. We study such interactions in Tetranychus evansi and T. urticae. These spider mites co-occur on solanaceous plants in Southern Europe, and cause important yield losses in tomato crops. Previous studies using Spanish

Associations between species of Laelapidae (Mesostigmata: Dermanyssoidea) mites and small rodents have been studied insufficiently. The aim of this study was to investigate infestation patterns of small rodent species by laelapid mites at six locations in Lithuania. A total of 728 rodents were snap- and live-trapped in various locations during 2013-2016. Eight rodent species were identified, namely

The present work aimed to analyze the ectoparasite-host interaction network and possible differences of this interaction related to two seasonal periods and host sex. During November 2016 and July 2017, non-flying small mammals were captured in 17 forest fragments located in the southern portion of the Amazon biome. We captured 96 individuals belonging to 10 host species that were parasitized with

Ticks are obligate blood-sucking ectoparasites and notorious as vectors of a great diversity of, in many instances, zoonotic pathogens which can cause considerable damage to animal and human health. The most commonly used approach for the control of ticks is the application of synthetic acaricides. However, the negative impacts of synthetic acaricides on the treated animals and the environment, in

Androlaelaps fahrenholzi is a mite with a large distribution and associated with a wide range of hosts. To assess morphometric variation of A. fahrenholzi associated with different host species (Phyllotis xanthopygus and Akodon albiventer, both from Putre, Chile) and localities (Las Chinchillas National Reserve, Fray Jorge National Park, and Llanos de Challe National Park, all in Chile and all from

Ecdysteroids regulate molting in arthropods by binding to heterodimers of the ecdysone receptor and retinoid-X-receptor, homologous to the ultraspiracle protein, to induce the expression of downstream signal response genes including the nuclear receptor HR3. However, the detailed expression dynamics of HR3 during molting in spider mites are not yet clear. In this study, the full length of PcHR3 was

Acarapis woodi, a parasitic mite of honey bees, was first detected in Japan in 2010. Infestation was mostly observed in the Japanese honey bee (Apis cerana japonica) and was rare in the European honey bee (Apis mellifera). By 2014, the mites had spread throughout central and eastern Japan. In the current study, we investigated the subsequent expansion of the mite to western Japan. Our research revealed

The parasitic mite Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman continues to devastate western honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies throughout most of the world where they are managed. The development of a method to rear Varroa in vitro would allow for year-round Varroa research, rapidly advancing our progress towards controlling the mite. We created two separate experiments to address this objective.

Zoonotic tick-borne diseases, including those caused by Rickettsia species, continue to have serious consequences for public health worldwide. One such disease that has emerged as a major problem in several countries of the American continent is the Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) caused by the bacterium Rickettsia rickettsii. Several tick species are capable of transmitting R. rickettsia, including

The red palm mite, Raoiella indica Hirst (Tenuipalpidae), has mainly been registered on palm species (Arecaceae), and its expansion in Brazil has the potential to cause significant negative impact on cultivated as well as native palms. Here, we evaluate the potential of native palms from Northeast Brazil to act as hosts of R. indica. Specifically, we used in situ free-choice and confinement tests,

Haemaphysalis longicornis is one of the most prevalent tick species across eastern Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, and has been implicated as a vector of several pathogenic agents. This study evaluated the in vitro acaricidal efficacy of Cymbopogon citratus (lemongrass) essential oil on unfed H. longicornis using the adult and nymph immersion test, and the larval packet test. Six concentrations with

Pulau Tioman is a popular tourist island off the east coast of Peninsula Malaysia, known for its vast areas of intact vegetation. Six tick species have been recorded on the island but little is known about their local ecology or public health importance. To facilitate studies of the tick fauna of Pulau Tioman, a checklist of all species and host associations is presented with the first host records

Host resistance to ticks can be explored as a possible approach of combating tick infestations to complement the existing unsustainable tick control methods. Thirty-six beef cattle animals were used, consisting of Angus, Brahman and Nguni breeds, with each breed contributing 12 animals. Half of the animals per breed were artificially challenged with Rhipicephalus microplus and the other half with R

The intensive usage of chemical acaricides for the control of the cattle tick Rhipicephalus microplus has resulted in the development and establishment of multi-acaricide resistant populations. Fipronil, a phenylpyrazole insecticide, is currently marketed in India for the management of this important veterinary tick species. Here, we tested Indian isolates of R. microplus which have developed multi-acaricide

Precise and accessible techniques for measuring metabolic responses to environmental stress are essential to allow the likely impacts of climate and climate change on tick distribution, abundance and phenology to be predicted. A more detailed understanding of the metabolic profile of ticks may also help the complex responses to pathogen infection and effects on transmission to be evaluated. Here, a

In this study, we de novo sequenced and analyzed the circular mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of Tyrophagus putrescentiae. It was 14,156 bp long and contained a complete set of 37 genes, contrary to the initial published sequences; it included 22 tRNA sequences and the largest non-coding region. The mtDNA gene order of T. putrescentiae was found to be identical to that of Aleuroglyphus ovatus, Caloglyphus

Abstract Dermacentor silvarum is widely distributed in northern China and transmits several pathogens that cause diseases in humans and domestic animals. We analysed the comprehensive bacterial community of the saliva and midgut from partially and fully engorged female adult D. silvarum. Dermacentor silvarum samples were collected from Guyuan, China. Bacterial DNA was extracted from the saliva and

Abstract Water mites are important constituents of aquatic ecosystems, but their biodiversity is poorly understood. The goal of this study was to improve knowledge of water mite assemblages in the Detroit River through combined use of morphological and cytochrome oxidase I (COI) DNA barcode data and to elucidate seasonal water mite diversity. The diversity of water mites collected from Blue Heron Lagoon

Abstract The two common species of house dust mites (HDMs), Dermatophagoides farinae and D. pteronyssinus, are major sources of allergens in human dwellings worldwide. Many allergens from HDMs have been described, but their extracts vary in immunogens. Mite strains may differ in their microbiomes, which affect mite allergen expression and contents of bacterial endotoxins. Some bacteria, such as the

Abstract Apiculture in the Pacific island country of Papua New Guinea (PNG) is under significant pressure from emerging parasitic mites, Varroa jacobsoni and Tropilaelaps mercedesae. Although numerous mite control products exist, beekeepers in PNG have limited resources and access to these products and their effectiveness under local conditions is untested. Here we determined the effectiveness of two

Abstract Hungary is situated in the southern part of Central Europe, next to the northern boundary of the Mediterranean region. This geographical position may allow the northward expansion of Mediterranean ixodid tick species into Hungary, particularly in the era of warming climate. During the past 14 years numerous surveys have been published on the species and activity of hard ticks occurring in

Abstract The aim of this study was to test the effectiveness of essential oils form Piper aduncum, Melaleuca leucadendra and Schinus terebinthifolius and their blends by fumigation and residual contact on Tetranychus urticae and its natural enemy, Neoseiulus californicus. Bioassays were performed in a greenhouse with the best blend of the oils and compared to the individual oils and Vertimec® (positive

Abstract Apyrase is one of the essential platelet aggregation inhibitors in hematophagous arthropods due to its ability to hydrolyze ATP and ADP molecules. Here, an apyrase (TNapyrase) with antiplatelet aggregation activity was purified and characterized from the nymphs of the camel tick Hyalomma dromedarii through anion exchange and gel filtration columns. The homogeneity of TNapyrase was confirmed

Abstract Ixodid ticks transmit many obligate intracellular Rickettsial species. Several previous studies have identified Rickettsia species in the northeastern and southern part of China, but few reports on the prevalence of infection of spotted fever group Rickettsiae (SFGR) in ticks in southwest China are available. Here, we investigated SFGR in 394 adult ticks of five species including Dermacentor