Prevalence of Ixodiphagus spp. infection in Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Rhipicephalus microplus

Authors: ABALOS, ABBEY - University Of Texas Rio Grande Valley; Maestas, Lauren; MAESTAS, SARAH - University Of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Submitted to: Subtropical Agriculture and Environments
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/27/2025
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Cattle fever ticks are a problem for managers in south Texas, due to difficulties in treating wildlife hosts with traditional tick control methods. New and effective control methods are needed to help solve this problem. Parasitoid wasps have been used as a form of biological control for insect pests of crops and livestock. Efforts are underway to determine if this biological control method can aid in cattle fever tick control. The objective of this research is to determine if parasitoids (parasitic wasps) may have potential for use as biological control agents for cattle fever ticks in the U.S. We are targeting ticks collected from Vietnam, part of the native range of the southern cattle fever tick (Rhipicephalus microplus). We hope to identify parasitoids that have coexisted and adapted with cattle fever ticks to maximize the probability that these parasitoids will recognize and selectively parasitize cattle fever ticks. Little is known about parasitoids infesting ticks within the native range of the southern cattle fever tick. Recent detection by collaborators of a potentially novel parasitoid species in ticks from Vietnam demonstrates the importance of surveillance and identification of species that may contribute to biocontrol of a significant livestock pest with near-global distribution. A total of 994 tick samples, primarily Rhipicephalus sanguineus and R. microplus have been collected from multiple provinces in Vietnam. Thus far, 256 tick samples have been tested for the presence of parasitoid DNA using real-time PCR, with six potential positive samples being identified. Sequencing will be used to validate potential detections and to identify detected parasitoids to species.

Technical Abstract: Cattle fever ticks represent a management challenge in south Texas due to difficulties in treating wildlife hosts with traditional control methods. Novel control methods are necessary to help mitigate this problem. Parasitoid wasps have been used as a form of biological control for insect pests of crops and livestock. Efforts are underway to determine if this biological control method can aid in cattle fever tick control. The objective of this research is to investigate the presence of parasitoids that may have potential for use as biological control agents for cattle fever ticks in the U.S. We are targeting ticks collected from Vietnam, part of the native range of the southern cattle fever tick (Rhipicephalus microplus). We hope to identify parasitoids that have coevolved with southern cattle fever ticks to maximize the probability that these parasitoids will recognize and selectively parasitize cattle fever ticks. Little is known about parasitoids infesting ticks within the native range of the southern cattle fever tick. Recent detection by collaborators of a potentially novel parasitoid species in ticks from Vietnam demonstrates the importance of surveillance and identification of species that may contribute to biocontrol of a significant livestock pest with near-global distribution. A total of 994 tick samples, primarily Rhipicephalus sanguineus and R. microplus have been collected from multiple provinces in Vietnam. Thus far, 256 tick samples have been PCR-screened for the presence of parasitoid DNA using real-time PCR, with six potential positive samples being identified. Sequencing will be used to validate potential detections and to identify detected parasitoids to species.