Mission:
The mission of the Tick and Biting Fly Research Unit of the Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory is to provide the Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program of USDA-APHIS-Veterinary Services, the U.S. cattle industry, and the public, technology for eradicating or controlling ticks and blood-feeding flies of veterinary and medical importance by: 1) developing methods and knowledge for eradicating outbreaks of cattle fever ticks and preventing introductions of fever ticks on livestock imported from Mexico; 2) creating self-treatment methods to control ticks of veterinary and medical importance on white-tailed deer and exotic ungulate wildlife; 3) developing improved methods for the diagnosis and management of pesticide-resistant southern cattle ticks and the horn fly; and 4) developing integrated control strategies that minimize reliance on insecticides for the control of biting flies affecting cattle.