Biological control studies of soft and hard ticks in Egypt

Abstract

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The potential activity of three varieties of Bacillus thuringiensis (kurstaki, israeliensis,and thuringiensis) against the soft tick Argas persicus and the hard tick Hyalomma dromedarii was investigated. Soft ticks succumbed within a period ranging from 36 h to 5 days and hard ticks died at between 48 h and 10 days posttreatment, depending on the dose. Concentrations lethal to 50% of tick populations (LC₅₀ values) indicated that Dipel 2x (B. thuringiensis var. kurstaki) was the most potent, followed by Vectobac (B. thuringiensis var. israeliensis), then HD 703 (B. thuringiensis var. thuringiensis). A. persicus was more affected than H.␣dromedarii by B. thuringiensis varieties. Eggs were mostly affected at 16 and 25 days after deposition for A.␣persicus and H. dromedarii, respectively.