Survey of potential natural enemies of ticks using varying tick-baited traps

• Main Authors: Concepcion, Czarin Kyra, Lim, Su Won, Sto. Domingo, Jireh P.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2016
• Subjects: Arthropoda; Ticks; Insects
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/5947
• Institution: De La Salle University

This study aimed to search and identify arthropods which may possibly be associated with cattle fever ticks in Peso Farm located in Bulacan. Three varying traps with tick baits were planted in three different areas around the farm. The traps either had fecal matter, cattle hair or none of the two. These traps were left overnight and were collected morning of the following day. After collection, the traps were stored and the arthropods collected were sorted and identified up to order level. The Orders that were captured were Diptera (n=188), Orthoptera (n=17), Odonata (n=4), Homoptera (n=68), Hymenoptera (n=24), Lepidoptera (n=1), Araneae (n=1) and Coleoptera (n=19). Diptera was found to be most abundant than the other Orders, followed by Homoptera. Order Lepidoptera and Araneae had only one representative for the entire duration. Order Lepidoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera and Araneae were previously reported to have an effect on ticks while Homoptera has a low possibility of being a natural enemy of ticks due to the order being comprised of herbivores. Amongst the collected arthropods, none have been reported to be a biological control agent of ticks.