Ticks are one of the most common ectoparasites of companion animals, cattle and pets. Ticks are prevalent in tropical and subtropical areas and are mostly active from spring through the summer.

Besides being very annoying to the infested animal hosts ticks are carriers of a variety of diseases-causing agents, such as bacteria, virus, and protozoa.

Domestic and companion animals are affected by a number of tick species. These vary in their choice of host, length of life cycle and role as vectors for diseases.

Studies in the United States, Argentina, Mexico and Australia indicate that tick infestation causes significant economic losses due to decreased production of milk and meat in cattle. The accumulated damage to the beef cattle industry alone has been estimated at seven billion dollars annually.

Most of the pesticides used for tick control are chemicals that share well known deficiencies:

• They are usually highly toxic
• Their effect extends beyond the hosts and other animals in close proximity.
• They  contribute to environmental pollution
• The development of resistant tick strains requires ongoing research for new effective insecticide compounds.