THE IMPACT OF IXODIPHAGUS-HOOKERI, A TICK PARASITOID, ON AMBLYOMMA-VARIEGATUM (ACARI, IXODIDAE) IN A FIELD TRIAL IN KENYA

In an experiment to investigate the effect of the tick parasitoid, Ino diphagus hookeri, on tick numbers on cattle, 150 000 parasitoids were released over a period of 1 year in a field where ten cattle infested with multiple tick species were kept. Amblyomma variegatum was reduced from 44 to two ticks per animal while Rhipicephalus appendiculatus in creased over the time of parasitoid release. During the time of releas e 51% of the nymphs of A. variegatum collected from the animals were p arasitized. The recovery of the parasitoids after the releases were st opped was only 9%. The total numbers of A. variegatum remained low up to 1 year after the parasitoid release was stopped. This study gives a n insight into how I. hookeri could be used strategically for the mana gement of A. variegatum on small-scale farms.