In the present work, the potential of acaricidal activity of chamomile flowers' extract was studied against engorged Rhipicephalus annulatus tick under laboratory condition. For this purpose, the engorged females of Rhipicephalus annulatus were exposed to two-fold serial dilutions of chamomile flowers' extract (0.5%, 1.0%, 2.0%, 4.0% and 8.0%) using "dipping method" in vitro. The engorged ticks were immersed in different plant dilutions (five ticks for each dilution) for 1 min and they were immediately incubated in separate Petri dishes for each replicate at 26 degrees C and 80% relative humidity. Mortality rate for each treatment was recorded 5 d after incubation. The mortality rate caused by different dilutions of chamomile flower' extract ranged from 6.67% to 26.7%, whereas no mortality was recorded for non-treated control group. The mass of produced eggs varied form 0.23 g (in 8.0% solutions) to 0.58 g (in control), with no statistical differences between the treatments and control (P>0.05). Also the chamomile flowers' extract in highest concentration used (8.0%) caused 46.67% failure in egg laying in engorged females while non failure was observed for non-treated control group. Macroscopic observations indicated that in effective concentrations of plant (4.0% and 8.0%), patchy hemorrhagic swelling appeared on the skin of treated ticks. The results presented for the first time in this study imply that chamomile may be considered as a promising plant for biocontrol of cattle fever tick disease in the field condition.
Acari ; drug effects ; physiology ; Animals ; Female ; Insecticides ; administration & dosage ; Matricaria ; chemistry ; Oviparity ; drug effects ; Plant Extracts ; administration & dosage ; Survival Analysis ; Survival Rate

Objective To molecularly identify Nosema species in provinces of Isfahan, Fars, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari. Methods One hundred and eighty adult honey bees suspected with nosemosis from provinces of Fars (different counties), Isfahan, and Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari were tested. In order to determine the species of Nosema, previously developed PCR and primers based on 16S rRNA gene were used. PCR products were purified and sent to the Korean company of Macrogen for sequencing. Results Only Nosema ceranae was determined in all samples based on their molecular profile. Sequences of the 16S rRNA gene were sent to GenBank/NCBI (samples accession numbers KP318660–KP318663). Conclusions This species currently exists in European honeybee apiaries of Apis mellifera in the studied provinces.