The susceptibility of different species and stages of ticks to entomopathogenic fungi

Boophilus annulatus, Hyalomma excavatum and Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks were shown to be susceptible to different entomopathogenic fungi under laboratory conditions. Comparative results of bioassays using five different fungal species showed that some strains of Metarhizium anisopliae are highly pathogenic against various tick stages tested. In contrast to their activity against insects, fungi also affected tick eggs. All tested tick stages including those feeding on a host were found to be susceptible to these fungi, except for adult H. excavatum ticks, which were relatively resistant.