Biting Rates ofCulicoidesMidges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) on Sheep in Northeastern Spain in Relation to Midge Capture Using UV Light and Carbon Dioxide-Baited Traps

Abstract

Biting midges in the genus Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) were collected near sunset by direct aspiration from sheep in northeastern Spain to determine species-specific biting rates and crepuscular activity. Midges were also collected by UV-baited light traps and CO2-baited traps over the same period to compare species diversity and abundance using these common surveillance methods to actual sheep attack rates. Culicoides aspirated from sheep included C. obsoletus, C. parroti, C. scoticus, C. punctatus, and C. imicola. Peak host-seeking activity during the time period examined for the two most commonly collected species (C. obsoletus and C. parroti) occurred just before sunset and activity ceased within 1 h after sunset. Host attack rates near sunset averaged 0.9 midges/min for both species with maximum attack rates of 3/min for C. obsoletus and 4/min for C. parroti. For both species, approximately 35% of midges collected from the sheep were engorged, giving a maximum biting rate of 1.1/min for C. obsoletus and 1.5/min for C. parroti. Traps baited with CO2 collected fewer midges of each species relative to other collection methods. Traps baited with UV light provided a good indication of species richness but significantly underestimated the host attack rate of C. obsoletus and C. parroti while overestimating the host attack rate of C. imicola. Animal-baited collecting is critical to interpret the epidemiological significance of light trap collections used for surveillance of the midge vectors of bluetongue virus and African horse sickness virus.

Do secretions from the uropygial gland of birds attract biting midges and black flies?

“…Both traps were hung at 2.20 m above ground level and were operating with UV light. Although the efficacy of the method could vary between species, UV light traps are considered convenient and useful surveillance tools for biting midge capture (Bishop et al 2006;Gerry et al 2009). The numbers of biting midge females collected were compared between traps with treated and non-treated cotton swabs.…”

Identification of Cattle-Derived Volatiles that Modulate the Behavioral Response of the Biting Midge Culicoides nubeculosus

“…However, current surveillance methods, which rely primarily on light traps to catch biting midges, may not be optimally effective. Such traps may not attract all potential vector species equally, and may underestimate numbers of blood-seeking midges in the vicinity of animal hosts (Carpenter et al 2008;Gerry et al 2009; Viennet et al 2011). Following the successful use of traps baited with vertebrate host volatiles to monitor and control other blood feeding insects (Logan and Birkett 2007;Pickett et al 2010), similar technology has been trialled…”

The combination of abundance and infection rates of Culicoides sonorensis estimates risk of subsequent bluetongue virus infection of sentinel cattle on California dairy farms

“…The abundance of vector Culicoides midges at specific sites has been traditionally assessed utilizing traps artificially baited with CO 2 , light of appropriate wavelength, semiochemicals, or a combination thereof (Du Toit, 1944;Barnard, 1980;Mullens, 1985;Meiswinkel et al, 2007). While collection of insects by these trap methods is relatively cost-effective and convenient, the insect activity and infection prevalence determined using these trap methods may be poorly correlated to the biting rates and infection prevalence of truly host-seeking insects (Gerry et al, 2001;Gerry et al, 2009). These parameters are critical for accurately assessing and modeling the dynamics of virus transmission to livestock (Gerry et al, 2001;Carpenter et al, 2008;Baylis, 2009;Guis et al, 2011).…”

“…These parameters are critical for accurately assessing and modeling the dynamics of virus transmission to livestock (Gerry et al, 2001;Carpenter et al, 2008;Baylis, 2009;Guis et al, 2011). In contrast, enclosure trapping or mechanical aspiration of Culicoides midges directly from "bait' livestock has shown biting rates that can be several fold greater than the capture rate obtained using the conventional CO 2 baited suction trap, perhaps because mammalian -feeding Culicoides midges also respond to stimuli other than CO 2 (Mullens and Gerry, 1998;Gerry et al, 2009;Viennet et al, 2011).…”