Abstract
Dermacentor albipictus (Acari: Ixodidae), the winter tick, is a one-host tick that parasitizes large ungulates. They can dramatically affect moose, Alces alces (Artiodactyla: Cervidae), causing significant physiological and metabolic stress and mortality among heavily parasitized individuals. Entomopathogenic fungi in the genera Metarhizium (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) and Beauveria (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae) are promising tick biological control agents. We examined the pathogenicity of experimental and commercially formulated isolates of M. anisopliae, M. brunneum and B. bassiana sprayed at concentrations of 106, 107 and 108 conidia/mL against the larval stage of D. albipictus and assessed the efficacy of spraying the commercial product Met52®EC, containing M. brunneum, strain F52, under laboratory conditions. Results showed larval D. albipictus mortality was significantly higher and occurred earlier when treated with M. anisopliae and M. brunneum isolates compared to B. bassiana at 106, 107 and 108 conidia/mL. Mortality was observed as early as 3 days in the M. anisopliae and M. brunneum treatments and after 6 days in the B. bassiana treatments. After 21 days, larval mortality ranged from 74–99% when ticks were treated with M. anisopliae and M. brunneum isolates at 106, 107 and 108 and conidia/mL. In contrast, mortality of ticks treated with B. bassiana ranged from 30 to 64%. When larvae were treated with the commercial product Met52, mortality was ~ 45% after 3 days and ~ 96% after 9 days. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of M. anisopliae and M. brunneum against D. albipictus.
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Acknowledgements
This research was supported by the U.S. Geological Survey under Grant/Cooperative Agreement (No. G19AC00241), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program, Wildlife Restoration Grants (No. 06120FY19522) by the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department and the American Wildlife Conservation Foundation. We thank graduate students Jacob Debow and Joshua Blouin for field collection of ticks and the general collaboration with the Vermont Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources. The use of trade or corporation names does not constitute an official endorsement by the University of Vermont, Jeonbuk National University or the supporting agencies.
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Sullivan, C.F., Parker, B.L., Davari, A. et al. Evaluation of spray applications of Metarhizium anisopliae, Metarhizium brunneum and Beauveria bassiana against larval winter ticks, Dermacentor albipictus. Exp Appl Acarol 82, 559–570 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-020-00547-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-020-00547-6