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Use of Natural Plant Products as Part of an Integrated Tick Management System |
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In the Caribbean the Boophilus microplus and ‘garrapat’ i.e. cattle tick (Amblyomma cajennense) and the dog tick R. sanguineus are major animal pests. B. microplus is found throughout Trinidad and Tobago. B. microplus transmits several diseases known collectively as ‘tick fever’. ‘Garrapat’ ticks are a public health nuisance and an economic problem since they prevent farmers from growing vegetables on coconut estates. They also affect the growth rate of the cows and the value of their hides as leather. ‘Garrapat’ control is a management problem rather than a scientific problem. Spraying ‘acaricides’ is expensive and harms other species in the environment. Such spraying provides short-term control since it is difficult for chemicals to reach the ticks that are protected by the vegetation in dense bushes and rainforest. The adult ticks can survive for one year without a blood meal. The bites of ‘Garrapat’ tick can be very deep and some people develop sores, which are slow to heal. Farmers in the Caribbean have found out various low cost and freely available plant products to control ticks, fleas and lice.
Caribbean Recipes
In Trinidad farmers use the leaves of ‘kojoroot’ (Petiveria alliacea) or the leaves of ‘caraaili’, neem (Azadirachta indica), black sage (Cordia curassavica), wild balisier (also called mardi gras) (Renealmia alpinia) or cedar (Cedrela odorata) to repel ticks and lice from chickens and ducks and their surrounding. The leaves are placed in the nest boxes and/or the litter. Seeds of Manilkara zapota, Pouteria sapota and Mammea americana are used to keep ticks and fleas away from dogs and ruminants. The seeds of the sapodilla fruit are dried and pounded until fine. The resulting powder is applied on cuts to protect them from fly larvae. Seeds of the tree fruits mammy-apple or mammy-sepote are sun-dried, grated and mixed with coconut oil (Cocos nucifera). The resulting paste is rubbed on the dog to keep away flies, fleas and ticks. The sap from the cut stem of the banana trunk (Musa spp.) is collected on a piece of cotton, and the cotton is then placed in a deep wound to kill the fly larvae. When the fly larvae dies, the wound is covered to prevent further infection. The sap-soaked cotton is also used in wounds to prevent infection.
The leaves of black sage (Cordia curassavica) and tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) are used to keep ticks and fleas away from dogs and ruminants. Animals are also bathed with the black sage, congo lala (Eclipta alba) or pounded sweet-broom leaves (Scoparia dulcis) to keep away flies and ticks. A bundle of leaves and stems (big enough for the size of the animal) is rolled and placed in a bucket of water. The resulting liquid is then rubbed onto the animal’s coat. |
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| Volume No. |
Honey Bee, 12(3):3, 2001 |
