Efficacy of a water-based botanical acaricide formulation applied in portable spray box against the southern cattle tick, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus(Acari: Ixodidae), infesting cattle

•Alternatives to control acaricide-resistant ticks are needed.•Plant-derived essential oils have a high potential to be used in tick control.•Laboratory and animal tests were made with a botanical acaricide at 6.25 % in water.•In laboratory tests, 100 % and 94 % mortality were observed against unfed larvae and engorged females of R. microplus.•Animal test showed 70 % overall efficacy of the botanical pesticide against R. microplus.