rhipicephalus annulatus (acari: ixodidae) control by nigella sativa, thyme and spinosad preparations

background: several compounds obtained from plants have potential insecticidal, growth deterrent or repellent characteristics. the control of hard ticks by non-chemical substances was targeted in this study. methods: the effect of 36 materials on in-vitro ticks was studied, including 2 absolute controls (water only or ab­solute ethyl alcohol only), 6 conventionally used spinosad preparations (aqueous solutions), 12 nigella sativa ( n. sativa ) preparations (aqueous and alcoholic solutions), and 12 thyme preparations (aqueous and alcoholic solutions). the engorged ticks were tested in-vitro for mortality and oviposition ability using the studied materials. results: the final mortality after 48 hours of application in n. sativa aqueous preparations began from 10.0% con­centration, 1.0% to 100% by concentration preparations ≥10%. in addition, n. sativa alcoholic preparations began from 50.0% concentration, 2 % to 100% by concentration ≥5%. meanwhile, thyme aqueous and alcoholic prepa­rations began from 70.0% concentration, 5% to 90% by concentration 10–20%. additionally, spinosad aqueous preparations and both of control preparations (water and alcohol) resulted in no mortality. all differences were sta­tistically significant. the oviposition was stopped in n. sativa (aqueous ≥10% and alcoholic ≥5%) and in spinosad (aqueous≥25%). the aqoues dilution of the used matters killed b. annulatus larvae beginning from the concentration 5%. conclusion: nigella sativa alcohol 20% was the best of studied preparations being the lowest concentration (20%) that could achieve the highest lethal (100%) effect in shortest time (12 hours). moreover, thyme oil and spinosad could not kill 100% of adult but did on larvae.