TICK ECOLOGY

The availability and expediency of acaricides for the control of ticks , together with the development of vaccination procedures against tick -borne diseases as a matter of priority, initially preceded informatio n gained from research on tick ecology. The establishment of acaricide resistance, the increasing cost of chemical control and the data on p roduction loss as an integral part of tick infestation are factors whi ch led to the incorporation of ecological principles into tick control . Continuing research on the life processes of ticks as well as on the ir interaction with hosts and the environment, initiated producer mani pulation of acaricide application frequencies, habitat manipulation te chniques and the use of host immunity which are important for the esta blishment of economically suitable strategies of tick Control. The rol e of tick ecology in establishing these concepts and its influence on current tick research is examined.