Eco-friendly tick control using Pakistani bee propolis: Behavioral and acaricidal effects against Rhipicephalus...

Ticks are major veterinary ectoparasites and vectors of infectious diseases. Conventional synthetic acaricides are widely used for tick control; however, their misuse has resulted in resistance, reducing their effectiveness. This study aimed to evaluate the acaricidal potential effects of Pakistani bee propolis against Rhipicephalus microplus and Hyalomma marginatum ticks as an eco-friendly alternative. A contact bioassay was employed in which ticks were exposed to graded concentrations (6.25, 12.50, 25, 50, and 100 mg/mL) of 95% ethanolic extract of propolis (EEP). Tick mortality and behavioral responses were recorded at eight different time intervals, ranging from 30 min to 24 h post-exposure. Λ-cyhalothrin served as the positive control. At 30 min to 1 h post-exposure, 100 mg/mL EEP exhibited significantly high mortality in both tick species compared to the control. Mortality increased with both concentration and time, with 50 and 100 mg/mL showing strong acaricidal effects after 2 h. After 24 h, tick mortality caused by 50 and 100 mg/mL EEP was statistically comparable to that of λ-cyhalothrin. In contrast, lower concentrations induced transient drowsiness without substantial mortality. Overall, H. marginatum was more sensitive to the treatment at the same concentrations when compared to the R. microplus survival rate. Pakistani bee propolis extract demonstrated potent acaricidal activity against R. microplus and H. marginatum, particularly at 50 and 100 mg/mL, with efficacy comparable to the synthetic acaricide λ-cyhalothrin. These findings highlight the potential of propolis as a natural and sustainable alternative for cattle tick control.