The tick Boophilus microplus is the species with the greatest geographical distribution and economic importance for the countries situated at tropical and sub-tropical zones of the planet. In Brazil, the Northwest Region is showed as the most favorable to the cattle infestation. Chemical control is an efficient control method employed, but the inadequate handling of acaricides contributed for to the onset of resistant ticks to the available acaricides in the market. The county of Ilhéus, at the Cocoa's Region from Bahia, has been increasing the cattle activity instead of the devastated cocoa's plantations. Between April and September 2000, in vitro imersion tests were performed with engorged females of B. microplus collected from 30 farms randomly chosen in a group of 96 interviewed at the region. The current study showed the existence of resistance or sensibility of the populations of B. microplus to the contact acaricides commonly used at cattle properties of the region of Ilhéus. The four acaricides tested showed the following levels of efficiency: Amidin - 30.95%; Deltamethrin - 65.04%; Cipermethrin / diclorvos - 75.73%; and Triclorfon / coumaphos / cyfluthrin - 75.13%.
Boophilus microplus; Ixodidae; susceptibility to acaricides; tick control
