Light trapping of biting midges Culicoides spp. (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) with green light-emitting diodes

Abstract  A study of responses by Culicoides spp. to light traps with light-emitting diodes (LEDs) confirmed that the livestock virus vector, Culicoides brevitarsis Kieffer, was preferentially attracted to green light. Four species shown previously to respond to blue light exhibited significantly higher responses to ultraviolet (UV) light. Field trials comparing green LEDs with incandescent lights in New South Wales, Northern Territory and East Timor confirmed the superiority of green LEDs for catching C. brevitarsis . The green LED traps also had a significant advantage over incandescent traps for a wide range of Culicoides species. These included: species whose ultimate preference was for UV, most species that are proven or potential vectors of viruses affecting Australian livestock and native animals and the main species affecting humans in northern Australia. Use of green LEDs has been adopted for trapping C. brevitarsis , especially in its marginal and low-density areas, and for detecting incursions of new Culicoides spp. into Australia. Use could be possible for species in other insect Orders.     

The bloodsucking biting midges of Argentina (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

A key is presented for the identification of the adults of 54 species of bloodsucking ceratopogonids, 51 of which are known inhabitants of Argentina, and Culicoides uruguayensis Ronderos, C. pifanoi Ortiz, and C. trilineatus Fox, which are known to occur in bordering Uruguay and Paraguay. Wing photographs are provided of females of the 45 species of Culicoides. Three new species of Culicoides Latreille from Northeastern Argentina are described and illustrated: C. austroparaensis Spinelli, C. bachmanni Spinelli, and C. williamsi Spinelli. The following six species are recorded for the first time from Argentina and/or bordering localities in Paraguay: Leptoconops brasiliensis (Lutz), C. gabaldoni Ortiz, C. ginesi Ortiz, C. pifanoi Ortiz, C. pseudocrescentis Tavares and Luna Dias, and C. trilineatus; and C. estevezae Ronderos and Spinelli is newly recorded from Misiones province of Argentina. C. lopesi Barretto is excluded from the Argentinean ceratopogonid fauna.     

New biting midges from the Cretaceous amber of Lebanon (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

New Ceratopogonidae from the Early Cretaceous amber of Hammana (Central Lebanon) are studied. Five new species (Lebanoculicoides daheri sp. nov., Protoculicoides krzeminskii sp. nov., Archiaustroconops annae sp. nov., Archiaustroconops hammanensis sp. nov., and Archiaustroconops dominiakae sp. nov.) are characterized, described, illustrated, and compared with other Cretaceous taxa. New keys for species of the three genera Lebanoculioides, Protoculicoides, and Archiaustroconops, but also for all genera of Lebanese fossil biting midges, are proposed.     

Culicoides biting midges (Diptera,Ceratopogonidae) in various climatic zones of Russia and adjacent lands

Culicoides biting midges play an important role in the epidemiology of many vector‐borne infections, including bluetongue virus, an internationally important virus of ruminants. The territory of the Russian Federation includes regions with diverse climatic conditions and a wide range of habitats suitable for Culicoides. This review summarizes available data on Culicoides studied in the Russian Federation covering geographically different regions, as well as findings from adjacent countries. Previous literature on species composition, ranges of dominant species, breeding sites, and host preferences is reviewed and suggestions made for future studies to elucidate vector‐virus relationships.     

Experimental transmission of Leishmania (Mundinia) parasites by biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

Leishmania parasites, causative agents of leishmaniasis, are currently divided into four subgenera: Leishmania, Viannia, Sauroleishmania and Mundinia. The recently established subgenus Mundinia has a wide geographical distribution and contains five species, three of which have the potential to infect and cause disease in humans. While the other Leishmania subgenera are transmitted exclusively by phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae), natural vectors of Mundinia remain uncertain. This study investigates the potential of sand flies and biting midges of the genus Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) to transmit Leishmania parasites of the subgenus Mundinia. Sand flies (Phlebotomus argentipes, P. duboscqi and Lutzomyia migonei) and Culicoides biting midges (Culicoides sonorensis) were exposed to five Mundinia species through a chicken skin membrane and dissected at specific time intervals post bloodmeal. Potentially infected insects were also allowed to feed on ear pinnae of anaesthetized BALB/c mice and the presence of Leishmania DNA was subsequently confirmed in the mice using polymerase chain reaction analyses. In C. sonorensis, all Mundinia species tested were able to establish infection at a high rate, successfully colonize the stomodeal valve and produce a higher proportion of metacyclic forms than in sand flies. Subsequently, three parasite species, L. martiniquensis, L. orientalis and L. sp. from Ghana, were transmitted to the host mouse ear by C. sonorensis bite. In contrast, transmission experiments entirely failed with P. argentipes, although colonisation of the stomodeal valve was observed for L. orientalis and L. martiniquensis and metacyclic forms of L. orientalis were recorded. This laboratory-based transmission of Mundinia species highlights that Culicoides are potential vectors of members of this ancestral subgenus of Leishmania and we suggest further studies in endemic areas to confirm their role in the lifecycles of neglected pathogens.     

Limited attractant range of the black‐light suction trap for the capture of Culicoides biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

The suction light trap (LT) is a standard tool used to capture Culicoides biting midges, when estimating abundances, and mapping species ranges. The exact range of attraction of the LT is in dispute, however, with several studies indicating the range to vary widely, between 4 and 50 m. In this study, the attractant range of a LT, set at various distances (0, 1, 2, 3, 5 and 8 m) from a cow tethered at pasture, is assessed in two trials conducted on a dairy farm in the Netherlands in 2013 and 2014. In the first trial, sweep‐netting and light‐trapping was performed concurrently. Although a Spearman Rank correlation of 0.89 (P = 0.03) showed the two sets of abundance results to be highly correlated, species prevalence differed significantly according to the method used: the Culicoides obsoletus complex dominated the LT observations, whereas Culicoides chiopterus and Culicoides dewulfi were more abundant in those obtained by sweep‐net, due to the former taxon being largely nocturnal, the latter diurnal. There is a distinct negative logarithmic relationship between Culicoides abundance and distance from the vertebrate host, with midge abundance, in the LT, increasing significantly only when it is placed very close to the bait animal, at a distance of 0–1 m. The sharp decay function in the number of Culicoides caught with increasing distance from the LT, limits the comparison of LT surveillance data obtained under various settings, even from within a climatically homogeneous geographical region such as north‐western Europe.     

The swarming behaviour of the Scottish biting midge, Culicoides impunctatus (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

Abstract.

• 1 Swarms of Culicoides impunctatus males were examined in the field in Scotland. Most swarms were close to midge emergence/breeding grounds over a variety of vegetation, some of which clearly acted as swarm markers. Low light (0–1000 lux) and still/humid conditions favoured swarming.
• 2 Swarm size ranged between less than 10 and more than one thousand midges. The modal size was 200 individuals. The smallest swarms were usually columnar in shape and the larger swarms ovoid.
• 3 Midges behaved individually within swarms, moving in an elliptical manner characteristic of other dipterans in swarms.
• 4 Swarms were classified as either ‘persistent’ or ‘transient’ in terms of their shape, size and stability. Wind was the most influential factor in disrupting swarms.
• 5 Swarms were confirmed as mating sites for C.impunctatus.

     

Two new species and new records of biting midges of the genus Culicoides from northwestern Argentina (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

The following two new species of Culicoides from the Argentinean Yungas are described, illustrated and placed to subgenus or species group and compared with related congeners: Culicoides calchaqui Spinelli & Veggiani Aybar and Culicoides willinki Spinelli & Veggiani Aybar. Culicoides daedaloides Wirth & Blanton is recorded for the first time for Argentina and Culicoides pseudoheliconiae Felippe-Bauer is firstly mentioned from the northwestern region of the country.     

A new Culicoides (Diptera:Ceratopogonidae) of the subgenus Diphaomyia from Peru

A new species of Culicoides of the subgenus Diphaomyia, Culicoides jurbergi Felippe-Bauer, is described and illustrated based on female specimens collected biting man and with light traps in Peruvian Amazonia. The species is compared with its similar congener mirsae Ortiz.     

Occurrence of Culicoides spp. (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in Tunisia, with emphasis on the bluetongue vector Culicoides imicola

Following the bluetongue (BT) outbreaks in Tunisia from 1999 to 2002, BTV (bluetongue virus) serotype 2 was isolated; however, no entomological investigation was performed. In the study presented here, we assessed the Culicoides species populations (particularly C. imicola) in proximity to the BT outbreaks locations, both as a retrospective analysis and to update the list of Culicoides species present in Tunisia. The insects were caught using light traps and the species identification was performed according to the standard entomological methods. This study reveaaled the presence of significant numbers of C. imicola in all the tested locations. In addition, we reported a new Culicoides species for the Tunisian fauna C. punctatus.     

Two new species and new records of biting midges of the genus Dasyhelea Kieffer (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) from India

Pupa, male and female adults of Dasyhelea (Prokempia) flava Carter, Ingram & Macfie, pupa and male adult of D. (Pseudoculicoides) acuta n. sp., and male adult of D. (Pseudoculicoides) comosa n. sp. are described and illustrated.     

A new Culicoides from the Amazonian region, Brazil (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

A new Neotropical species of biting midge Culicoides (Haematomyidium), C. kampa Felippe-Bauer, Veras & Castellon, is described and illustrated based on female specimens from the Amazonian Region.     

Detrimental effects of Haemoproteus infections on the survival of biting midge Culicoides impunctatus (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

The effects of Haemoproteus belopolskyi, Haemoproteus fringillae, and Haemoproteus lanii on the survival of their vector the biting midge Culicoides impunctatus were examined. Wild-caught females were infected experimentally by allowing them to feed on naturally infected birds. A group of flies, which fed on an uninfected bird, was used as a control. There was a highly significant difference in the survival rate between the noninfected group and all groups of infected flies for postfeeding (PF) periods 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, and 7-8 days. For days 7-8, the percentage of noninfected surviving flies was 4.4 times higher than the percentage of infected surviving flies, testifying to the detrimental effects of avian Haemoproteus infections on the longevity of C. impunctatus. The mortality rates of the infected flies were highest for days 1-2 and 3-4 PF, indicating possible negative effects of ookinetes and early oocysts on the vector.     

Blood-sucking biting midges (Ceratopogonidae) in north central Siberia

6000 adult punkies were collected from man and animals over a period of 15 years in the Taimyr and Evenki Autonomous Okrugs of Krasnoyarsk Territory. Four species Culicoides chiopterus, C. pulicaris, C. fascipennis, C. alatavicus are reported from tundra and forest-tundra of Taimyr (68 degrees 00'-73 degrees 13' N). Punkies of the above species are small in number and do not occur all over the region. In northern and middle taiga of Evenkia (60 degrees 20'-65 degrees 45' N) punkies are very abundant and occur everywhere. 7 species C. obsoletus, C. chiopterus, C. punctatus, C. pulicaris, C. grisescens, C. fascipennis, C. helveticus are reported from this region. A relative abundance of punkies in the complex of bloodsucking Diptera during a summer period in different landscape zones is shown. Their seasonal and daily activity is shown and maximum levels of attacking man, reindeer and dog are given.