D3000: Assessing the efficacy of cedarwood oil-based minimum risk pesticides for controlling blacklegged ticks in residential settings

Monday, November 11, 2024

9:00 AM – 5:00 PM MST

Location: Phoenix Convention Center, Exhibit Hall 6, PCC

Presenting Author(s)

Sophia Chiaia

Graduate Student
Western Connecticut State University
Brookfield , Connecticut

Co-Author(s)

NC

Neeta P. Connally

Western Connecticut State University
Danbury, Connecticut
Victoria L. Hornbostel (she/her/hers)

TickNET Project Coordinator
Medical University of South Carolina
Danbury, Connecticut

In the Northeastern United States, the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) is the primary vector of Lyme disease and several other tick-associated diseases. Recommended strategies to suppress ticks and mitigate human risk for tick bites include the application of tick-killing pesticides (acaricides) to tick habitat in one’s backyard. However, many people are unwilling to apply such products due to a perceived risk of toxicity for both humans and the environment. Acaricides containing minimum risk active ingredients such as cedarwood oil are increasingly available to consumers, marketed as a “safer” and more “environmentally friendly” option for tick control. Many of such products are exempt from Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registration, and therefore have not yet been well-evaluated. Accordingly, we sought to assess the efficacy of professionally applied cedarwood oil-based acaricidal applications for controlling ticks on residential properties. We enrolled 40 residential properties in Connecticut, of which 20 received professional cedar-based treatments and 20 received no acaricidal treatments. Ticks were sampled three times from each study property between late-May and mid-July 2024. The results of this study provide a first step towards better understanding the efficacy of minimum risk acaricides and contribute valuable insights towards improving recommendations for managing residential tick exposure and reducing risk for tick-borne disease in the Northeast.