Efficacy of nanopheromone impregnated sticky tick trap device in brown dog tick control in dog kennels

Abstract

Tick assembly pheromones consisting of guanine, xanthine, and adenine in a ratio of 25:1:1 were encapsulated within gold nanoparticles. An innovative eco-friendly sticky tick trap device was created for controlling the dog tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus, utilizing the gold nanoparticle assembly pheromone complex as bait. Field trials conducted in dog kennels located in the Thrissur district of Kerala demonstrated that the gold nanoparticle-baited sticky traps captured 57% of engorged ticks and 43% of unfed questing stages of R. sanguineus. The findings indicate that assembly pheromone-baited traps hold potential for managing tick infestations in dog kennels.