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1
Hidayat, Purnama, Yuliana Ayu Lestari, and Sari Nurulita. "Molecular Evidence Points to Strong Resemblance in the Parasitoid Species of Rice and Cogongrass Gall Midges, Platygaster spp. (Hymenoptera: Platygasteridae)." HAYATI Journal of Biosciences 32, no. 3 (2025): 683–92. https://doi.org/10.4308/hjb.32.3.683-692.
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The rice gall midge, Orseolia oryzae, and the cogongrass gall midge, O. javanica, cause gall formation on rice and cogongrass (alang-alang) (Imperata cylindrica). Two different species parasitize these two gall midges but closely related platygasterids, Platygaster oryzae on the rice gall midge and P. orseoliae on the cogongrass gall midge. Both the gall midges and their parasitoids are often found in the adjacent area, raising a question about the relationship between the two gall midges and their parasitoids. This research aims to study the molecular identity of the rice and cogongrass gall midges, along with their platygasterid parasitoids, based on partial sequences of the mtCOI gene. Samples were collected from rice and cogongrass in the adjacent area in Cianjur, West Java Province, and a rice field with no cogongrass in Bogor, West Java Province. Successful DNA amplification was achieved using universal primers for mtCOI. Nucleotide sequencing analysis revealed that the rice gall from Bogor and Cianjur shared 100% similarity and 93.2-99.3% similarity with the rice gall from other countries. Notably, the parasitoids P. oryzae collected from rice in Bogor and Cianjur shared 97.2% similarity with P. orseoliae collected from cogongrass in Cianjur. These findings suggest that the platygaster parasitoids associated with the rice gall and the cogongrass gall midges are identical, serving as potential natural enemies for both pests. This study represents the first molecular identification report of rice and cogongrass gall midges and their platygasterid parasitoids from Java Island, Indonesia.
2
Passino, Kevin M. "Modeling and Cohesiveness Analysis of Midge Swarms." International Journal of Swarm Intelligence Research 4, no. 4 (2013): 1–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/ijsir.2013100101.
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Midges (Anarete pritchardi) coordinate their flight motions to form a cohesive group during swarming. In this paper, individual midge motion dynamics, sensing abilities, and flight rules are represented with a midge swarm model. The sensing accuracy and flight rule are adjusted so that the model produces trajectory behavior, and velocity, speed, and acceleration distributions, that are remarkably similar to those found in midge swarm experiments. Mathematical analysis of the validated swarm model shows that the distances between the midges' positions and the swarm position centroid, and the midges' velocities and the swarm velocity centroid, are ultimately bounded (i.e., eventually satisfy a bound expressed in terms of individual midge parameters). Likewise, the swarm position and velocity centroids are shown to be ultimately bounded. These analytical results provide insights into why the identified individual midge sensing characteristics and flight rule lead to cohesive swarm behavior.
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Gan, Shi-Rui, Wei Du, and Xiao-Fan Wang. "Functional Differentiation of Floral Color and Scent in Gall Midge Pollination: A Study of a Schisandraceae Plant." Plants 11, no. 7 (2022): 974. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/plants11070974.
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Gall midges are among the most host-specific insects. Their interactions with plants likely date back to the Cretaceous period. Plants from at least seven families are involved in gall midge pollination; however, little is known about the pollination signals of gall midges. In this study, we used a Resseliella–Schisandra model to investigate the roles of floral scent and color in attracting gall midges. Field observations, behavioral bioassays via Y-tubes, and “flight box” experiments were performed. The results demonstrated that gall midges may be attracted by both floral scent and color and that two flower signals are more effective in promoting insect flower-landing than either alone. In the field, gall midges visited male flowers effectively at night but almost always visited female flowers during the day. Thus, during the Resseliella–Schisandra interactions, female flowers predominantly employed visual cues over scent to attract midges during the day; in contrast, olfactory cues were more functional for male flowers to export pollen in the dark. In this study, we first identified the roles of floral color and the functional differentiation of visual and olfactory cues during gall midge pollination.
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Soroka, Juliana, Larry Grenkow, Boyd Mori, and Lars Andreassen. "Injury by Contarinia (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) to early-seeded and late-seeded canola in northeastern Saskatchewan, Canada, and assessment of seed treatments for midge control." Canadian Entomologist 151, no. 02 (2019): 219–35. http://dx.doi.org/10.4039/tce.2018.68.
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AbstractA three-year field study in northeastern Saskatchewan, Canada, determined the effects of seeding date and seed treatment on feeding injury by Contarinia Róndani (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) midges to canola, Brassica napus Linnaeus (Brassicaceae), and subsequent seed yield. Emergence cage monitoring indicated the presence of two generations of midges at the four locations observed. Intensity of midge injury to canola was low, but damaged plants were common. Field location and seeding date influenced probability of midge injury and canola growth stage. The wettest of the four locations had the greatest number of midges but low levels of probability of damage in two of three years. Early-seeded plots had higher injury probability than late-seeded plots, with the highest probability of injury occurring one to two weeks after flowering commenced. Seed treatment marginally affected midge injury ratings, suggesting that insecticide efficacy dissipated before the midges attacked. Seed yield was higher in early-seeded than in late-seeded plots in two of three years, despite the greater level of damage seen in early-seeded plots. Overall, the research showed that the agronomic benefits of early seeding outweighed the effects of the midge damage observed; therefore, producers in the Canadian prairie provinces should seed canola when conditions are most agronomically suitable.
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Jorgensen, Amanda, Jennifer Otani, and Maya L. Evenden. "Assessment of Available Tools for Monitoring Wheat Midge (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae)." Environmental Entomology 49, no. 3 (2020): 627–37. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ee/nvaa017.
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Abstract Wheat midge, Sitodiplosis mosellana Géhin, is an invasive pest of wheat, Triticum aestivum L. (Poaceae) throughout Canada and the United States. The applicability of available monitoring tools, including sex-pheromone baited traps, yellow sticky cards, and soil core sample surveys, in the northern-most agroecosystem of its invasive range has not been assessed. In this study, the attraction of male wheat midge to two Delta traps (green and orange) baited with one of three pheromone lures (a flex lure and two red septa lures from different sources) were compared. The efficacy of three yellow sticky cards (7 × 12 cm, 14 × 18 cm, and 14 × 18 cm rolled into a cylinder) for capture of male and female midge was assessed. Larvae were extracted from wheat heads sampled at the same sites to determine relationships with earlier adult trap capture. More male adult midges were captured in pheromone-baited traps with a greater surface area and in traps baited with the Scotts flex lure than the Great Lakes IPM septa lure, which had higher and more variable pheromone release rates. The smaller yellow sticky cards captured more male and female midges than the larger yellow sticky cards, regardless of shape. The number of female midges captured on yellow sticky cards predicted the number of larvae in wheat heads. The number of male midges captured in pheromone-baited traps did not predict larval density. Relationships were found between the number of overwintering cocoons recovered in soil core samples and emerging midges the following spring.
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Wimalasiri, U., T. Wijerathna, N. Gunathilaka, A. Wijegunawardana, and W. W. P. Rodrigo. "Presence of Leishmania donovani DNA in wild-caught biting midges Culicoides sp. at a Leishmaniasis disease endemic area in Sri Lanka; An alternative vector for disease transmission." Journal of Multidisciplinary & Translational Research 9, no. 1 (2024): 1–9. http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/jmtr.v9i1.1.
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Biting midges, belonging to the Ceratopogonidae family, are a group of dipteran insects implicated as vectors for various parasites and viruses. In Sri Lanka, where leishmaniasis is endemic, biting midges are found in high densities, causing significant biting nuisance. This observation raises the possibility that these insects may serve as potential vectors for leishmaniasis in these areas. To investigate the presence of Leishmania donovani parasites within biting midge populations in a leishmaniasis-endemic area of Sri Lanka, a study was conducted in the Medawachchiya Medical Officer of Health area, Anuradhapura District. Biting midges were collected using cattle-baited net traps in December 2021. Morphological identification keys were used to classify the collected specimens, which were then surface sterilized and subjected to DNA extraction. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) targeting the kinetoplast minicircle gene specific to L. donovani was employed to detect the presence of parasite DNA. The resulting PCR amplicons were visualized using gel electrophoresis. Out of the 42 biting midges collected, all were morphologically identified as Culicoides imicola. Interestingly, 4.76% (n=2) of the field-caught samples were positive for L. donovani DNA. These findings suggest that L. donovani circulates within biting midge populations. These insects may act as vectors for leishmaniasis transmission in the country. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to continue studying biting midges in Sri Lanka to enhance our understanding of their role in disease transmission.
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Carpenter, Molly, Jennifer Kopanke, Justin Lee, et al. "Evaluating Temperature Effects on Bluetongue Virus Serotype 10 and 17 Coinfection in Culicoides sonorensis." International Journal of Molecular Sciences 25, no. 5 (2024): 3063. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijms25053063.
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Bluetongue virus (BTV) is a segmented, double-stranded RNA virus transmitted by Culicoides midges that infects ruminants. As global temperatures increase and geographical ranges of midges expand, there is increased potential for BTV outbreaks from incursions of novel serotypes into endemic regions. However, an understanding of the effect of temperature on reassortment is lacking. The objectives of this study were to compare how temperature affected Culicoides survival, virogenesis, and reassortment in Culicoides sonorensis coinfected with two BTV serotypes. Midges were fed blood meals containing BTV-10, BTV-17, or BTV serotype 10 and 17 and maintained at 20 °C, 25 °C, or 30 °C. Midge survival was assessed, and pools of midges were collected every other day to evaluate virogenesis of BTV via qRT-PCR. Additional pools of coinfected midges were collected for BTV plaque isolation. The genotypes of plaques were determined using next-generation sequencing. Warmer temperatures impacted traits related to vector competence in offsetting ways: BTV replicated faster in midges at warmer temperatures, but midges did not survive as long. Overall, plaques with BTV-17 genotype dominated, but BTV-10 was detected in some plaques, suggesting parental strain fitness may play a role in reassortment outcomes. Temperature adds an important dimension to host–pathogen interactions with implications for transmission and evolution.
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Sunantaraporn, Sakone, Thanaporn Hortiwakul, Kanyarat Kraivichian, Padet Siriyasatien, and Narisa Brownell. "Molecular Identification of Host Blood Meals and Detection of Blood Parasites in Culicoides Latreille (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) Collected from Phatthalung Province, Southern Thailand." Insects 13, no. 10 (2022): 912. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/insects13100912.
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Five hundred and fifty-nine female biting midges were collected, and seventeen species in six subgenera (Avaritia, Haemophoructus, Hoffmania, Meijerehelea, Remmia, and Trithecoides) and two groups (Clavipalpis and Shortti) were identified. The dominant Culicoides species was C. peregrinus (30.94%), followed by C. subgenus Trithecoides. From blood meal analysis of engorged biting midges, they were found to feed on cows, dogs, pigs, and avians. The majority of blood preferences of biting midges (68%; 49/72) displayed a mixed pattern of host blood DNA (cow and avian). The overall non-engorged biting midge field infectivity rate was 1.44 % (7/487). We detected Leucocytozoon sp. in three Culicoides specimens, one from each species: C. fulvus, C. oxystoma, and C. subgenus Trithecoides. Crithidia sp. was found in two C. peregrinus specimens, and Trypanosoma sp. and P. juxtanucleare were separately found in two C. guttifer. More consideration should be paid to the capacity of biting midges to transmit pathogens such as avian haemosporidian and trypanosomatid parasites. To demonstrate that these biting midges are natural vectors of trypanosomatid parasites, additional research must be conducted with a greater number of biting midges in other endemic regions.
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Chang, Chun-Gin, Chia-Hsuan Hsu, and Keryea Soong. "Navigation in darkness: How the marine midge (Pontomyia oceana) locates hard substrates above the water level to lay eggs." PLOS ONE 16, no. 1 (2021): e0246060. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0246060.
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Finding suitable habitats for specific functions such as breeding provides examples of key biotic adaptation. The adult marine midge Pontomyia oceana requires an extremely specific habitat, i.e., hard substrates above water in shallow water, to deposit fertilized eggs. We investigated how these sea surface-skimming insects accomplished this with a stringent time constraint of 1–2 h of the adult life span in the evenings. We observed that in artificial containers, midges aggregated at bright spots only if the light was not in the direction of the sea. This behavior could potentially attract midges toward the shore and away from the open water. Experiments were performed in the intertidal zone in southern Taiwan to test three hypotheses explaining such behavior: gradients of temperature and CO2, and soundscape. No differences were observed in moving directions or aggregation of midges under artificial temperature and CO2 gradients. However, midges preferred sounds at 75 Hz compared with other frequencies (all ≤300 Hz) as observed in a field experiment involving floating traps with loudspeakers. Moreover, when background noise was experimentally masked using white noise of all frequencies, midges were significantly more likely to aggregate at bright spots in the direction of the sea than in the absence of white noise. These results establish that sound is used by midges to navigate in dark seas and move toward the shore where exposed hard substrates are in abundance. Marine mammals present well-known cases of sound pollution at sea; here the finding in the insignificant marine midge is just the harbinger of the potential effects noise at shore may have to affect critical reproductive stages of marine organisms.
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Rozo-Lopez, Paula, and Barbara S. Drolet. "Culicoides-Specific Fitness Increase of Vesicular Stomatitis Virus in Insect-to-Insect Infections." Insects 15, no. 1 (2024): 34. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/insects15010034.
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Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) is an arthropod-borne virus affecting livestock. In the United States, sporadic outbreaks result in significant economic losses. During epizootics, Culicoides biting midges are biological vectors and key to the geographic expansion of outbreaks. Additionally, Culicoides may play a role in VSV overwintering because females and males are capable of highly efficient venereal transmission, despite their relatively low virus titers. We hypothesized that VSV propagated within a midge has increased fitness for subsequent midge infections. To evaluate the potential host-specific fitness increase, we propagated three viral isolates of VSV in porcine skin fibroblasts and Culicoides cell lines. We then evaluated the viral infection dynamics of the different cell-source groups in Culicoides sonorensis. Our results indicate that both mammalian- and insect-derived VSV replicate well in midges inoculated via intrathoracic injection, thereby bypassing the midgut barriers. However, when the virus was required to infect and escape the midgut barrier to disseminate after oral acquisition, the insect-derived viruses had significantly higher titers, infection, and dissemination rates than mammalian-derived viruses. Our research suggests that VSV replication in Culicoides cells increases viral fitness, facilitating midge-to-midge transmission and subsequent replication, and further highlights the significance of Culicoides midges in VSV maintenance and transmission dynamics.
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Aldebis, Hani K., Antonio Santos-Rufo, Ibrahim Eldesouki-Arafat, et al. "Olive Escudete (Dalmatian Disease) Caused by Botryosphaeria dothidea as a Result of Fly–Midge–Fungus Interaction." Horticulturae 10, no. 4 (2024): 321. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10040321.
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Escudete, which is caused by Botryosphaeria dothidea, is a disease that is widely distributed in the Mediterranean basin, but is of little general importance. Nevertheless, serious attacks have been observed on occasion, which have caused a considerable reduction in the quality of table olives. The incidence of the pathogen has been associated with damage caused by the olive fly (Bactrocera oleae) and the presence of a possible vector agent, i.e., the midge Prolasioptera berlesiana, whose larvae can feed on fly eggs (although the role the midge may play in the spread of this disease is not well known). Therefore, it is necessary to clarify these interactions to adopt appropriate disease control measures. Studies were conducted in olive orchards planted with the Gordal Sevillana, Picudo, and Hojiblanca olive cultivars. Field surveys were carried out in order to sample their fruits for laboratory analysis, and several bioassays were also performed. Moreover, the population of B. oleae adults was monitored using traps that were baited with food attractants. The results indicated that the three agents developed and evolved in parallel under field conditions. Thus, the midges were attracted by the oviposition punctures caused in fruits by olive fruit flies, regardless of whether the punctures contained eggs. All the investigated olive fruits in which midges were present inside punctures created by olive fruit flies exhibited typical symptoms of escudete, which is necessary for the development of this disease. Forty-eight hours after fly punctures were artificially simulated in the olive fruits, 48.0% of them contained a midge, whereas no midges appeared in the artificially created shapeless wounds in the fruits. This indicates that an olive fly egg is not required for the development of midges; however, they do prefer punctures made by B. oleae. Moreover, when the olive fruits were incubated in a humid chamber, the B. dothidea fungus only appeared in those fruits that contained midges, thus indicating a close relationship between these two agents. Additionally, the midges were able to complete their entire development from egg to adult under controlled conditions, and they fed on the pure cultures of the B. dothidea fungus. Furthermore, although no pathogens were present in the immature midges, some of the pathogens could have been isolated from the inner tissues of the adult female midges. The fact that mycangia is present in the abdomen of P. berlesiana supports the hypothesis that their relationship with B. dothidea may be mutualistic and that they may act as a vector for the fungus.
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Rozo-Lopez, Paula, Yoonseong Park, and Barbara S. Drolet. "Effect of Constant Temperatures on Culicoides sonorensis Midge Physiology and Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Infection." Insects 13, no. 4 (2022): 372. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/insects13040372.
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Culicoides midges play an important role in vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) transmission to US livestock. After VSV-blood feeding, blood digestion followed by oviposition occurs while ingested virus particles replicate and disseminate to salivary glands for transmission during subsequent blood-feeding events. Changes to environmental temperature may alter the feeding–oviposition–refeeding cycles, midge survival, VSV infection, and overall vector capacity. However, the heterothermic midge may respond rapidly to environmental changes by adjusting their thermal behavior to resting in areas closer to their physiological range. Here we investigated the effects of four constant environmental temperatures (20, 25, 30, and 35 °C) on C. sonorensis survival, oviposition, and VSV infection, as well as resting thermal preferences after blood-feeding. We found that most midges preferred to rest in areas at 25–30 °C. These two constant temperatures (25 and 30 °C) allowed an intermediate fitness performance, with a 66% survival probability by day 10 and oviposition cycles occurring every 2–3 days. Additionally, VSV infection rates in bodies and heads with salivary glands were higher than in midges held at 20 °C and 35 °C. Our results provide insight into the implications of temperature on VSV–Culicoides interactions and confirm that the range of temperature preferred by midges can benefit both the vector and the arbovirus.
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Kaufmann, C., C. Schaffner, A. Tschuor, and A. Mathis. "Répartition et abondance des moucherons piqueurs, vecteurs potentiels de la fièvre catarrhale ovine, en Suisse." Revue d’élevage et de médecine vétérinaire des pays tropicaux 62, no. 2-4 (2009): 129. http://dx.doi.org/10.19182/remvt.10039.
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Indigenous biting midges proved to be highly efficient vectors for the recently introduced bluetongue virus serotype 8 (BTV-8). Since its introduction in Northern Europe, the virus has rapidly spread, reaching Switzerland in 2008. The aims of this project are to determine the distribution, abundance, and activity patterns of biting midges occurring in Switzerland. Insects were caught with Onderstepoort ultraviolet light traps once weekly at stations representing the 12 climatic regions of Switzerland throughout the whole year. In addition, catches were carried out at five stations in an Alpine region of Switzerland at altitudes between 1300 and 2000 metres above sea level from the end of June to the end of October 2008. Midges were grouped under the stereomicroscope into Obsoletus complex, Pulicaris complex or other Culicoides spp. Midges were caught at all stations, albeit in very different numbers. The highest monthly average was 10,000 midges per night (Dittingen); the third highest average was recorded at the highest station (Juf, 2130 m). At stations below 1500 m, midges of the Obsoletus complex (98% in Dittingen) were predominant. In Central Europe, they are considered the most likely vectors responsible for BTV transmission. With increasing altitude, midges of the Pulicaris complex prevailed (91% in Juf). Catches in two neighbouring Alpine mountains of similar altitude (approximately 2000 m) varied considerably. It is most likely that there are no midge-free zones in the agricultural areas (including Alpine summer pastures) of Switzerland, but the vector competence of the various midges with regard to BTV needs to be urgently clarified.
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Schaffner, Francis, C. Kaufmann, H. Schwermer, and A. Mathis. "Surveillance des moucherons piqueurs : détermination des périodes sans vecteurs en Suisse de 2007 à 2009." Revue d’élevage et de médecine vétérinaire des pays tropicaux 62, no. 2-4 (2009): 145. http://dx.doi.org/10.19182/remvt.10055.
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Since the introduction of bluetongue virus serotype 8 (BTV-8) in Northern Europe, a surveillance of the disease has been implemented in Switzerland, based on a collaborative network including the Swiss Federal Veterinary Office, the Institute of Virology and Immunoprophylaxis and the Institute of Parasitology (IPZ). In accordance with European regulations, the surveillance aims at determining zones which are seasonally free of bluetongue by showing lack of evidence of disease transmission or of activity of competent vectors. The results of two years (2007–2009) of surveillance of the winter activity of biting midges are presented. BT zones were identified for Switzerland and Liechtenstein based on (i) the 45x45 km grid, (ii) a spatial risk analysis on the occurrence of biting midges and susceptible livestock, and (iii) the limits of the Swiss administrative units (cantons). Thus, 16 BT zones were defined, comparable in area size (as ‘risk’ areas) and in populations of cattle, sheep and goats. Insects were caught with Onderstepoort ultraviolet-light traps once weekly at 19 stations, outdoors, from dusk to dawn, and from October to May. Trapping was maintained at six stations during the midge activity season. Trappings were implemented by volunteer farmers or local veterinary offices, and samples were sent to the Swiss reference laboratory for vector entomology (IPZ) where midge activity was classified from ‘no activity’ to ‘very high activity’. Midges were caught at all stations, but in very different numbers. From mid-November 2007 until end of March 2008 there was a period of very low Culicoides activity (catches without midges or below the threshold of 10 midges/trap/night). Then, the activity increased gradually, and the vector-free period was defined as ending on April 15th. All sites showed activity during the whole summer, globally with a decrease from July to September. The highest activity was recorded in Northern Switzerland (Basel), with an average of 3268 midges/trap/night. Surprisingly, the highest activity was not observed in Southern Switzerland where the mild climate is influenced by the Mediterranean Sea, but north of the Alps characterized by an Atlantic climate. During October to mid-November 2008, midge activity decreased, and less than 10 midges or 5 parous midges/trap/night were caught at all sites after mid-November. The vector-free period was thus determined as starting on December 15, 2008. Then, a very low activity was observed in Basel during early January, and no activity was observed in the cantons until the first week of March 2009. Very few midges were trapped until beginning of April, and first parous and blood-fed females were caught after mid- April. Thus, the vector-free period was declared to end on April 20, 2009. Vector-free periods could be defined for the whole of Switzerland during the two years of winter surveillance. A third year of surveillance is ongoing, and three-years’ data will be analysed for a possible extrapolation of an annual vector-free period.
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Shanower, Thomas G. "Occurrence of Sitodiplosis mosellana (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) and its parasitoid, Macroglenes penetrans (Hymenoptera: Platygasteridae), in northeastern Montana." Canadian Entomologist 137, no. 6 (2005): 753–55. http://dx.doi.org/10.4039/n05-056.
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AbstractThe wheat midge, Sitodiplosis mosellana (Géhin), is an infrequent but devastating pest that has been present in western North America for at least 100 years. This note provides the first published report of the presence of the wheat midge and its parasitoid, Macroglenes penetrans (Kirby), in Montana. Annual surveys were conducted in Daniels, Roosevelt, Sheridan, and Valley counties of northeastern Montana for 5 years (2000–2004) using a systematic soil sampling method to collect overwintering wheat midge larvae. In addition, in 2004, infested wheat heads were collected from 10 fields in Sheridan County, and wheat midges and parasitoids were reared. The wheat midge occurred in all four counties, though at relatively low levels. Densities fluctuated across years and locations, with the highest densities (>200 midge larvae/m2) occurring in Sheridan and Roosevelt counties. Macroglenes penetrans was found at all 10 sample sites and constituted up to 52% of the emerged adults (midges + parasitoids).
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Siriyah, Siti Latifatus, and I.-Min Tso. "Alkaline water as a potential agent for biting midge control: Managing effectiveness and non-target organism impact evaluation." PLOS ONE 18, no. 8 (2023): e0290262. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0290262.
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Biting midge Forcipomyia taiwana is one of the common pests in East Asia. Their nuisance and blood-sucking behavior causes problems not only for human health but also for some industries. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of spraying alkaline water on controlling biting midge population and potential side effects of such approach on non-target organisms. Laboratory experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of alkaline water on oviposition site preference of female biting midges as well as crickets. Effect of alkaline water on distribution pattern of earthworms was also examined. Besides, we also performed field manipulative studies by long term spraying of alkaline water to evaluate the effects on biting midge density, microalgae abundance and ground arthropod communities. The results of laboratory experiments showed that female biting midges laid significantly fewer eggs in surface treated with alkaline water. However, alkaline water treatment did not significantly affect the oviposition site choice of crickets and distribution pattern of earthworms. Result of field manipulations showed that long-term spraying of alkaline water could significantly reduce the abundance of soil microalgae and density of biting midges, but did not affect the diversity of non-target ground arthropods. These results demonstrate that long-term spraying of alkaline water could decrease biting midge density without harming co-existing non-target organisms and therefore is a potentially eco-friendly approach to control such pest.
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Etl, Florian, Wittko Francke, Jürg Schönenberger, and Stefan Dötterl. "Chemical Attraction of Gall Midge Pollinators (Cecidomyiidae: Cecidomyiinae) to Anthurium acutangulum (Araceae)." Journal of Chemical Ecology 48, no. 3 (2022): 263–69. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10886-022-01349-3.
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AbstractFlowering plants often use chemical signals to attract their pollinators, and compounds that elicit attraction are known for several groups of pollinators. For other pollinators such as gall midges, however, compounds responsible for their attraction to flowers are largely unknown. Here, we describe the pollination biology of Anthurium acutangulum, a Neotropical aroid species found to be attractive to gall midges. We collected and analyzed its floral scent by dynamic headspace collections and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry, and identified compounds responsible for pollinator attraction. The inflorescences were almost exclusively visited by gall midges (females; Cecidomyiidae: Cecidomyiinae) and released a strong scent reminiscent of freshly cut cucumber, mainly (5S,7S)-trans-conophthorin, (E2,Z6)-2,6-nonadienal, and cis-conophthorin. Behavioral assays with the two most abundant compounds identified (E2,Z6)-2,6-nonadienal as being highly attractive to the female gall midge pollinators, whereas (5S,7S)-trans-conophthorin was not attractive. Overall, we introduce a new specialized gall midge pollination system and identify the chemical mediating communication between the pollinators and their host plants.
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Araújo, Walter Santos de, and Valéria Cid Maia. "First characterization of a taxonomically well‑resolved trophic network composed by host plants and gall midges (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) in the Neotropical region." Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia 61 (March 31, 2021): e20216134. http://dx.doi.org/10.11606/1807-0205/2021.61.34.
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In the present study we described the structure of a trophic network composed by gall-midge species (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) and their host plants in the Restinga of Barra de Maricá (Maricá, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). Species data were retrieved from literature and different topological descriptors (links per species, connectance, and modularity of interactions) were used. All gall-midge species were monophages, with connectance of 2.8% of the 2,016 possible interactions. The network of host plants and gall midges had low number of links per species and high modularity, which indicates high specificity and specialization of plant-galling interactions in the area. This is the first characterization of a trophic network with good taxonomic resolution for the Neotropical gall midges.
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Rozo-Lopez, Paula, Berlin Londono-Renteria, and Barbara S. Drolet. "Impacts of Infectious Dose, Feeding Behavior, and Age of Culicoides sonorensis Biting Midges on Infection Dynamics of Vesicular Stomatitis Virus." Pathogens 10, no. 7 (2021): 816. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/pathogens10070816.
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Culicoides sonorensis biting midges are biological vectors of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) in the U.S. Yet, little is known regarding the amount of ingested virus required to infect midges, nor how their feeding behavior or age affects viral replication and vector competence. We determined the minimum infectious dose of VSV-New Jersey for C. sonorensis midges and examined the effects of multiple blood-feeding cycles and age at the time of virus acquisition on infection dynamics. A minimum dose of 3.2 logs of virus/mL of blood resulted in midgut infections, and 5.2 logs/mL resulted in a disseminated infection to salivary glands. For blood-feeding behavior studies, ingestion of one or two non-infectious blood meals (BM) after a VSV infectious blood meal (VSV-BM) resulted in higher whole-body virus titers than midges receiving only the single infectious VSV-BM. Interestingly, this infection enhancement was not seen when a non-infectious BM preceded the infectious VSV-BM. Lastly, increased midge age at the time of infection correlated to increased whole-body virus titers. This research highlights the epidemiological implications of infectious doses, vector feeding behaviors, and vector age on VSV infection dynamics to estimate the risk of transmission by Culicoides midges more precisely.
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Covey, Hunter, Rafe H. Hall, Alyssa Krafsur, Megan L. Matthews, Phillip T. Shults, and Corey L. Brelsfoard. "Cryptic Wolbachia (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae) Detection and Prevalence in Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) Midge Populations in the United States." Journal of Medical Entomology 57, no. 4 (2020): 1262–69. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjaa003.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract Culicoides midges vector numerous veterinary and human pathogens. Many of these diseases lack effective therapeutic treatments or vaccines to limit transmission. The only effective approach to limit disease transmission is vector control. However, current vector control for Culicoides midges is complicated by the biology of many Culicoides species and is not always effective at reducing midge populations and impacting disease transmission. The endosymbiont Wolbachia pipientis Hertig may offer an alternative control approach to limit disease transmission and affect Culicoides populations. Here the detection of Wolbachia infections in nine species of Culicoides midges is reported. Infections were detected at low densities using qPCR. Wolbachia infections were confirmed with the sequencing of a partial region of the 16S gene. Fluorescence in situ hybridization of Culicoides sonorensis Wirth and Jones adults and dissected ovaries confirm the presence of Wolbachia infections in an important vector of Bluetongue and Epizootic hemorrhagic disease viruses. The presence of Wolbachia in Culicoides populations in the United States suggests the need for further investigation of Wolbachia as a strategy to limit transmission of diseases vectored by Culicoides midges.
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Platonova, Elena, Maria Erokhina, Alexandra Mukhina, Alexander Davydov, and Andrey Mukhin. "The Study of Biting Midges Culicoides Latreille, 1809 (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) and the Prevalence of Haemoproteus Kruse, 1890 (Haemosporida: Haemoproteidae) on the Curonian Spit of the Baltic Sea." Diversity 16, no. 12 (2024): 723. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/d16120723.
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The part of the life cycle concerning the vectors of avian haemosporidians of the genus Haemoproteus remains only partially studied. This work presents the results of capturing and analyzing female Culicoides biting midges for Haemoproteus infection, collected on the Curonian Spit of the Baltic Sea. The midges were collected from April to August 2023 in dry and wet habitats of the Spit using light traps. Each parous female midge was identified to the species level and then its salivary glands were isolated to prepare a thin smear. The preparation was examined under a light microscope for the presence of parasite stages infecting the birds (sporozoites). PCR analysis was also conducted to assess the prevalence of infection in the midges and the genetic diversity of Haemoproteus spp. among vectors on the Curonian Spit. As a result, 995 Culicoides females belonging to 12 species were collected over the course of 4 months. The highest number of midges was recorded in June. The dominant species were Culicoides kibunensis and Culicoides pictipennis. Molecular analysis showed that 2.71% (n = 27) of the examined individuals contained DNA of Haemoproteus spp. Parasites were found in midges of C. pictipennis, C. kibunensis, C. segnis, C. obsoletus, C. punctatus, C. reconditus, C. festivipennis, and C. pallidicornis from May 15 to July 13. The DNA of the identified parasites belonged to six genetic lineages of Haemoproteus—Haemoproteus parabelopolskyi hSYAT02, H. asymmetricus hTUPHI01, H. minutus hTURDUS2, H. spp. hBRAM1, hHAWF6, and hHIICT1. Sporozoites of H. parabelopolskyi hSYAT02 were detected in two individuals of C. pictipennis and one of C. kibunensis. Thus, taking into account the previous results of other studies, we have assumed that these two midge species are competent vectors for Haemoproteus parasites on the Curonian Spit.
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Hodgdon, Elisabeth A., Rebecca H. Hallett, Chase A. Stratton, and Yolanda H. Chen. "Diel patterns of emergence and reproductive behaviour in the invasive swede midge (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae)." Canadian Entomologist 151, no. 04 (2019): 510–20. http://dx.doi.org/10.4039/tce.2019.21.
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AbstractSwede midge (Contarinia nasturtii (Kieffer); Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) is a serious invasive pest of Brassica Linnaeus (Brassicaceae) oilseed and vegetable crops in Canada and the United States of America. Pheromone mating disruption is a promising new tactic for managing this difficult pest, but research is needed to determine how pheromone delivery can be optimised. With an understanding of swede midge diel mating patterns, pest managers could limit pheromone release to periods when midges are sexually active. We conducted a series of 24-hour trials to test whether swede midge exhibit diel periodicity of emergence, female calling, and male capture in pheromone traps. We found that females began releasing pheromones almost immediately following emergence within the first five hours after dawn. In the field, we found that males were most active from dawn until late morning, indicating that midges mate primarily during the first five hours of photophase. Low levels of reproductive activity during midday and nighttime hours present opportunities to turn off dispensers and reduce the cost of pheromone inputs in a swede midge mating disruption system.
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Rozo-Lopez, Paula, Berlin Londono-Renteria, and Barbara S. Drolet. "Venereal Transmission of Vesicular Stomatitis Virus by Culicoides sonorensis Midges." Pathogens 9, no. 4 (2020): 316. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/pathogens9040316.
Full textAbstract:
Culicoides sonorensis biting midges are well-known agricultural pests and transmission vectors of arboviruses such as vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). The epidemiology of VSV is complex and encompasses a broad range of vertebrate hosts, multiple routes of transmission, and diverse vector species. In temperate regions, viruses can overwinter in the absence of infected animals through unknown mechanisms, to reoccur the next year. Non-conventional routes for VSV vector transmission may help explain viral maintenance in midge populations during inter-epidemic periods and times of adverse conditions for bite transmission. In this study, we examined whether VSV could be transmitted venereally between male and female midges. Our results showed that VSV-infected females could venereally transmit virus to uninfected naïve males at a rate as high as 76.3% (RT-qPCR), 31.6% (virus isolation) during the third gonotrophic cycle. Additionally, VSV-infected males could venereally transmit virus to uninfected naïve females at a rate as high as 76.6% (RT-qPCR), 49.2% (virus isolation). Immunofluorescent staining of micro-dissected reproductive organs, immunochemical staining of midge histological sections, examination of internal reproductive organ morphology, and observations of mating behaviors were used to determine relevant anatomical sites for virus location and to hypothesize the potential mechanism for VSV transmission in C. sonorensis midges through copulation.
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ARCE, SOFÍA I., CAROLIN HAUG, JOACHIM T. HAUG, and ANDRÉ P. AMARAL. "Driven apart: fossil parasitic long-legged velvet mite larvae on gall midges represent a long lost parasitic association between mites and dipterans." Palaeoentomology 7, no. 2 (2024): 254–64. http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/palaeoentomology.7.2.9.
Full textAbstract:
Parasites are virtually ubiquitous, and this has probably been the case for quite some time. The record of parasitic mites (sensu lato) goes back as far as the Carboniferous (~359–259 mya) and, in fact, they are one of the most reported parasites in amber. The six-legged larvae of the mite group Parasitengona have a wide host range, among which are flies. Here we report for the first time cases of larval erythraeoidean mites, commonly referred to as long-legged velvet mites, parasitising gall midges (Cecidomyiidae) in about 100 million years old (Cretaceous) Kachin amber, Myanmar. In three of the four cases here reported, a single erythraeoidean mite was attached to a gall midge, while in one of the cases two mites are associated to a gall midge host. Of the reported gall midges, one specimen represents the ingroup Lestremiinae, two represent unnamed lineages closely related to Cecidomyiinae, and one specimen might represent the group Cecidomyiinae, being the earliest record of this group so far. In the extant fauna, there are no records of associations of erythraeoidean larvae with gall midges. After the Cretaceous, long-legged velvet mites may have shifted their host range, although knowledge on the host range of parasitengonan mites is still limited to arrive to definitive conclusion.
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KAUFMANN, CHRISTIAN, FRANCIS SCHAFFNER, DOMINIK ZIEGLER, VALENTIN PFLÜGER, and ALEXANDER MATHIS. "Identification of field-caught Culicoides biting midges using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry." Parasitology 139, no. 2 (2011): 248–58. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0031182011001764.
Full textAbstract:
SUMMARYCulicoides biting midges are of great importance as vectors of pathogens and elicitors of allergy. As an alternative for the identification of these tiny insects, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) was evaluated. Protein mass fingerprints were determined for 4–5 field-caught reference (genetically confirmed) individuals of 12 Culicoides species from Switzerland, C. imicola from France, laboratory-reared C. nubeculosus and a non-biting midge. Reproducibility and accuracy of the database was tested in a validation study by analysing 108 mostly field-caught target Culicoides midges and 3 specimens from a non-target species. A reference database of biomarker mass sets containing between 24 and 38 masses for the different species could be established. Automated database-based identification was achieved for 101 of the 108 specimens. The remaining 7 midges required manual full comparison with the reference spectra yielding correct identification for 6 specimens and an ambiguous result for the seventh individual. Specimens of the non-target species did not yield identification. Protein profiling by MALDI-TOF, which is compatible with morphological and genetic identification of specimens, can be used as an alternative, quick and inexpensive tool to accurately identify Culicoides biting midges collected in the field.
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Kočišová, A., Z. Kasičová, M. Halán, and P. Komorová. "Occurrence of Biting Midges (Diptera: Culicoides) on Dairy Farms in Eastern Slovakia in Relation to Abiotic Factors." Folia Veterinaria 65, no. 4 (2021): 47–56. http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/fv-2021-0037.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract Within the scope of our research, we have performed 59 trapping sessions and collected 15,756 biting midges from 20 species at four farms (Kluknava, Ostrov, Turňa nad Bodovou and Zemplínska Teplica), The most frequent types of captured insects were representatives of the Avaritia subgenus, C. obsoletus/C. scoticus, representing on average 85.1 % (13,295 individuals) of the fauna of the biting midges, with the exception of the farm in Ostrov where this group represented only 41.7 % of the fauna. At this particular farm, the most frequently trapped insects belonged to the Culicoides subgenus (54.1 %), in particular the C. bysta, C. lupicaris, C. newsteadi, C. Pulicaris and C. Punctatus species. During the trapping sessions, we monitored factors affecting the number of trapped biting midges, such as the temperature, relative air humidity and airflow rate: the air temperature during the trapping of the biting midges ranged from 9.8 to 26.2 °C; the relative air humidity ranged from 35.1 to 100 %; and the air flow rate ranged from no wind to a wind velocity of 8.2 m.s-1. However, in the final evaluation, we failed to observe a statistically significant correlation between the air flow and the number of trapped biting midges. The largest amounts of biting midges were trapped at temperatures ranging from 15.8 to 24.6 °C and at a relative air humidity ranging from 54.2 % to 68.6 %. While monitoring the seasonal dynamics of the physiological conditions of biting midge females at the selected farms, we confirmed that during the period from June to August, the most frequently trapped females were parous (50.1 %; 7,826 individuals). In addition, nulliparous females comprised 43.8 % (6,842 individuals) and were continuously trapped throughout the season (April— November).
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Simamora, Kiki Fajrina. "Morfometri parasitoid nyamuk ganjur alang-alang asal Kabupaten Cianjur, Jawa Barat." Jurnal Entomologi Indonesia 19, no. 1 (2022): 62–76. http://dx.doi.org/10.5994/jei.19.1.62.
Full textAbstract:
Imperata cylindrica is a species of grass that causes economic losses. One of the insects reported to have the potential as a biological control agent for Imperata is the cogongrass gall midges, Orseolia javanica (Diptera: Cecidomyiiae). The development of the cogongrass gall midges is influenced by its natural enemies, not much is known about the parasitoids of this cogongrass gall midges. This study aims to identify and describe the morphological and morphometric characters of the cogongrass gall midges parasitoids. This research was conducted from July 2018 to June 2019. The gall cogongrass was collected from bunds rice fields in Cianjur District, West Java. Rearing the gall cogongrass and morphometric measurements was conducted at the Insect Biosystematics Laboratory, Plant Protection Department, Faculty of Agriculture, IPB University. Three species of parasitoids were found in cogongrass gall midges, i.e. Platygaster orseoliae (Hymenoptera: Platygasteridae), Aprostocetus sp. (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), and Propicroscytus mirificus (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae). The results of morphometric measurements of the parasitoids cogongrass gall midge showed that the female body length of P. orseoliae is 0.65–0.98 mm, and the male body length is 0.69–1.07 mm. The body length of the female Aprostocetus sp. is 1.51–2.02 mm and male body length is 1.13–1.29 mm. Female body length of P. mirificus is 4.14–4.46 mm. Principal component analysis showed that the parasitoid P. orseoliae had no difference between males and females, Aprotocetus sp. females have a larger body size than males, and P. mirificus has the largest body size compared to other parasitoids.
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Costa, Jesiel Pablo Chagas, Anna Vanniezy Marinho de Brito, Maria da Conceição Abreu Bandeira, and José Manuel Macário Rebêlo. "Attractiveness of domestic animal shelters to Culicoides biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in the Eastern Amazon." Brazilian Journal of Health Review 8, no. 3 (2025): e79482. https://doi.org/10.34119/bjhrv8n3-010.
Full textAbstract:
Biting midges of the genus Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) are known for their medical and veterinary importance. The presence of these insects in domestic animal shelters can pose significant risks to animal and public health. This study aimed to assess the richness, abundance, and seasonal frequency of Culicoides biting midges in domestic animal shelters located in the backyards of human residences. Insects were collected once a month from August 2016 to July 2018 in pigsties, chicken coops, corrals, sheep pens, and goat pens in three rural villages in Vitória do Mearim, Maranhão State, Brazil. The data were subjected to one-way analysis of variance and Tukey's post hoc test to verify differences in infestation between shelters and determine which shelter types were most attractive to midges. A total of 2801 individuals belonging to 13 species of Culicoides were captured. Richness was highest in pigsties (11 species) and chicken coops (10), whereas abundance was highest in chicken coops (45.6%), cattle corrals (27.7%), and pigsties (19.7%). Biting midges occurred throughout the year but prevailed in the rainy season (13 species, 64.4% of individuals), when humidity is high and temperatures and winds are milder. Backyard infestations demonstrate the important role of domestic animals and their shelters in attracting biting midges. This study recommends implementing backyard cleaning efforts focused on animal shelters as part of an environmental management strategy to prevent midge infestations. Additionally, conservation actions should be undertaken in adjacent forest areas to preserve the environmental conditions that support these insects in their natural habitats.
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Boudot, Jean-Pierre, Peter Havelka, and Andreas Martens. "The biting midge Forcipomyia paludis as a parasite of Odonata in North Africa (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)." Notulae odonatologicae 9, no. 4 (2019): 164–68. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3539758.
Full textAbstract:
In June and July 2013, at two streams in the Middle Atlas Mountains, Morocco, ceratopogonid midges were photographed on and taken from the wings of six species of odo¬nates. The specimens were identified as Forcipomyia paludis, a widespread European ceratopogonid midge new to Africa.
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Treacy, M. F., R. D. Parker1, J. H. Benedict, R. M. Anderson, and K. M. Schmidt. "Insecticide Control of Sorghum Midge as Influenced by Type of Insecticide and Frequency of Application, 1987." Insecticide and Acaricide Tests 13, no. 1 (1988): 278–79. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/iat/13.1.278a.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract A small-plot field study was conducted at the Texas A&M University Agricultural Research and Extension Center at Corpus Christi. Seven treatments and an untreated check were compared in 4-row × 30-ft plots of sorghum planted 16 Apr on 38-inch rows. Treatments and the untreated check were replicateti 4 times in a randomized complete block design. Due to heavy rainfall, muddy soil conditions, and insufficient numbers of midges, treatment applications were not initiated until 95% of the panicles were in bloom, with the upper third of each panicle having complete bloom. Treatments were applied with a CO2-pressurized backpack sprayer calibrated to deliver 3.5 gal total spray/acre through size 3X hollow-cone nozzles (2 nozzles/row) at 35 psi. All treatments were initially applied on 18 Jun, and all but 2 treatments were applied again on 21 Jun. On 23 Jun, 90-95% of the panicles had completed bloom and were no longer susceptible to further attacks by adult midges, thus treatment applications were discontinued. Counts of adult midges were made in the untreated plots on both spray dates to monitor midge abundance during the study. At soft-dough stage, percent seed damaged by midges was visually estimated for the middle 2 rows of each plot. Also, panicles were harvested from a 13.5-ft section of row in each plot for yield analysis.
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Romiti, Federico, Romolo Fochetti, Adele Magliano, Vittorio Vinciguerra, Arianna Ermenegildi, and Claudio De Liberato. "First Report of Culicoides Biting Midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) Attacking People in Italy, With the Description of Extreme Larval Breeding Sites and Diurnal Activity of Culicoides riethi." Journal of Medical Entomology 59, no. 2 (2021): 772–76. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjab212.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract Biting midges of the genus Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) play a paramount role in medical and veterinary entomology worldwide, particularly as vectors of pathogens which cause animal diseases. Biting midges are also infamous for the nuisance they provoke to people involved in outdoor activities. Nonetheless, attacks to man by midges from any Culicoides species have not been reported in Italy. An entomological investigation was performed following repeated attacks to man in a nature park near Rome (central Italy). The study area is a natural degassing zone, characterized by widespread hazardous gas emissions of CO2 and H2S, with several water bodies including permanent lakes, ponds, and pools. The biting midge C. riethi Kieffer, 1914 was very active during daytime in the period April–June. The species has been identified as responsible for attacks on people in the area. An in-depth analysis of the extreme environmental conditions revealed the ability of larvae to thrive in several water bodies, characterized by an extremely low pH and a high concentration of sulfates.
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Chang, Kaowen Grace, and Hungju Chien. "The Effects of Landscape Elements on the Breeding Sites of Bloodsucking Midge." Sustainability 13, no. 5 (2021): 2863. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su13052863.
Full textAbstract:
Forcipomyia taiwana, a bloodsucking midge that is one of the most irritating biting pests in Taiwan, has raised widespread public concern. However, we have little information about the extent to which landscape factors affect their potential habitats. As a result, landscape professionals do not have enough information to implement preventive strategies to control midges. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between landscaping and algae growth for larval breeding sites of Forcipomyia taiwana. The intent is to determine the environmental strategies that make the planned landscape unsuitable for midges to breed. GIS based on data collected from 16 constructed landscape sites (317,187 m2 in total) was utilized to spatially examine the relationship between the occurrence of the algae for midge breeding sites and the ground surface types and planting characteristics in each landscape. The results revealed that the potential midge habitats can be controlled through careful selection of the ground surface, the improvement of the site drainage, and choosing plants with the appropriate characteristics. Apart from choosing the appropriate type of paving surface, the integrity of the paving installation and the coverage of the ecological surface also influence prevention efficacy.
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Yang, Lifen, Weichen Wu, Sa Cai, et al. "Transcriptomic Investigation of the Virus Spectrum Carried by Midges in Border Areas of Yunnan Province." Viruses 16, no. 5 (2024): 674. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/v16050674.
Full textAbstract:
Yunnan province in China shares its borders with three neighboring countries: Myanmar, Vietnam, and Laos. The region is characterized by a diverse climate and is known to be a suitable habitat for various arthropods, including midges which are notorious for transmitting diseases which pose significant health burdens affecting both human and animal health. A total of 431,100 midges were collected from 15 different locations in the border region of Yunnan province from 2015 to 2020. These midges were divided into 37 groups according to the collection year and sampling site. These 37 groups of midges were then homogenized to extract nucleic acid. Metatranscriptomics were used to analyze their viromes. Based on the obtained cytochrome C oxidase I gene (COI) sequences, three genera were identified, including one species of Forcipomyia, one species of Dasyhelea, and twenty-five species of Culicoides. We identified a total of 3199 viruses in five orders and 12 families, including 1305 single-stranded positive-stranded RNA viruses (+ssRNA) in two orders and seven families, 175 single-stranded negative-stranded RNA viruses (−ssRNA) in two orders and one family, and 1719 double-stranded RNA viruses in five families. Six arboviruses of economic importance were identified, namely Banna virus (BAV), Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), Akabane virus (AKV), Bluetongue virus (BTV), Tibetan circovirus (TIBOV), and Epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV), all of which are capable, to varying extents, of causing disease in humans and/or animals. The survey sites in this study basically covered the current distribution area of midges in Yunnan province, which helps to predict the geographic expansion of midge species. The complexity and diversity of the viral spectrum carried by midges identified in the study calls for more in-depth research, which can be utilized to monitor arthropod vectors and to predict the emergence and spread of zoonoses and animal epidemics, which is of great significance for the control of vector-borne diseases.
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Maia, Valéria Cid, and Barbara Proença. "Insect galls on Mikania glomerata (Asteraceae) in an area of Atlantic Forest in Viçosa (Minas Gerais, Brazil)." Check List 12, no. 6 (2016): 2026. http://dx.doi.org/10.15560/12.6.2026.
Full textAbstract:
Mikania glomerata (Asteraceae) hosts eight gall midge species (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), each one responsible for a different gall morphotype. In a survey conducted in Recanto das Cigarras, Viçosa, Minas Gerais state (Brazil), we found three of these eight gall midges: Liodiplosis cylindrica, L. spherica, and Asphondylia glomeratae, each exhibiting a low infestation rate. This study offers an updated geographic distribution of these three gall midge species, recorded for the first time in Minas Gerais state.
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Bodziarczyk, Jan, Marcin Widlak, and Malwina Siwy. "The first record of the yew gall midge Taxomyia taxi (Inchbald, 1861) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) in the Polish Carpathians, southern Poland." Polish Journal of Entomology 85, no. 1 (2016): 135–46. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/pjen-2016-0007.
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Abstract The yew gall midge Taxomyia taxi has been found for the first time in the Polish Carpathians. The site lies in the “Yews in Mogilno” (“Cisy w Mogilnie”) nature reserve in the western part of the Beskid Niski (Low Beskid) Mountains. The species occurs over an area of ca. 37 ha, mostly in the northern, lowest-lying parts of the reserve. 19.4% of the inspected specimens of the European yew were found to exhibit signs of feeding by gall midges. Most of the infested yews (86.7%) were barren, 8.2% were females and 5.1% males. The yew gall midges displayed no clear preferences in relation to the health status of the host plants, although yews with a healthier photosynthetic apparatus were selected more often.
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Bruun, Hans Henrik, Simon Haarder, Peter Neerup Buhl, and Richard Askew. "Hymenopteran parasitoids reared from European gall midges (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae)." Biodiversity Data Journal 12 (March 25, 2024): e118487. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.12.e118487.
Full textAbstract:
We report the results of investigations 2010 through 2023 of hymenopteran parasitoids associated with gall midges in Europe. A total of 242 collections of gall midges were made, from each of which one to several parasitoid species emerged, resulting in ca. 200 recorded parasitoid species and 267 host-parasitoid interaction records. The parasitoid families involved were Eulophidae (63 species), Platygastridae (56 species), Torymidae (34 species), Pteromalidae (31 species), Ceraphronidae (5 species), Eupelmidae (4 species), Eurytomidae (2 species) and Encyrtidae (1 species). As many as 159 interactions are reported for the first time, significantly enlarging our knowledge of gall midge – parasitoid interactions on the species level. Even more interesting, 51 host records are for parasitoid species for which no host was previously known. Similarly, 28 species of gall midge are reported as host to named parasitoids for the first time. Additionally, 91 parasitoid records were the first for the country in question. Differences between the rearing methods applied and their suitability for recording species with contrasting life histories, are discussed.
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Wise, Ian L., and Robert J. Lamb. "Diapause and emergence of Sitodiplosis mosellana (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) and its parasitoid Macroglenes penetrans (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae)." Canadian Entomologist 136, no. 1 (2004): 77–90. http://dx.doi.org/10.4039/n03-032.
Full textAbstract:
AbstractThe requirements for successful diapause of field-collected larvae and emergence of the adult wheat midge, Sitodiplosis mosellana (Géhin), and its egg parasitoid Macroglenes penetrans (Kirby) were investigated in the laboratory. Both species showed little decline in survival for up to 5 weeks at 20 °C in dry wheat spikes and could successfully diapause in wheat spikes at 0 °C for at least 200 d, although larvae usually drop to the soil to diapause. Both species diapaused successfully in clay loam and fine quartz sand, but survival was lower in vermiculite or coarse activated clay. Diapause was completed successfully at soil temperatures of −5 to 2.5 °C, and both species survived for at least 500 d at 2.5 °C with no increase in mortality. Larval survival declined after 120 d at −10 °C. Usually more than 95% of all surviving wheat midges emerged as adults after a single diapause period of 100 d or more, but up to 5% of wheat midges and 12%−57% of parasitoids did not emerge until they were exposed to a second cold period. Postdiapausal larvae pupated and adult wheat midges emerged at constant temperatures of 16, 20, 26, and 28 °C with no differences in mortality, although none emerged at 10 °C. The timing of wheat midge emergence was temperature dependent, requiring 306 degree-days above a threshold of 9 °C. Degree-day requirements and soil temperatures from a nearby weather station accurately predicted the average timing of emergence in the field, but not the year-to-year variation in date of 50% emergence. The wheat midge and its parasitoid are well adapted to the conditions they encounter in their range in western Canada. Methods for rearing both species through diapause and adult emergence are described.
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Spinelli, Gustavo R., Pablo I. Marino, and Melina Mauad. "Diptera, Ceratopogonidae Newman, 1834: New records of Biting and Predaceous midges from Iberá wetlands, Argentina." Check List 8, no. 5 (2012): 886. http://dx.doi.org/10.15560/8.5.886.
Full textAbstract:
The first Argentina records of four species of biting and predaceous midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) are provided from the Iberá wetlands in Corrientes Province: Forcipomyia (Euprojoannisia) unica Bystrak and Wirth, Echinohelea blantoni Wirth, Neobezzia fittkaui Wirth and Ratanaworabhan and Paryphoconus grandis Macfie. This is the first record of the predaceous midge genus, Echinohelea Macfie, from Argentina.
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Maia, Valéria, and Barbara Proença. "Insect galls on Mikania glomerata (Asteraceae) in an area of Atlantic Forest in Viçosa (Minas Gerais, Brazil)." Check List 12, no. (6) (2016): 1–5. https://doi.org/10.15560/12.6.2026.
Full textAbstract:
<em>Mikania glomerata </em>(Asteraceae) hosts eight gall midge species (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), each one responsible for a different gall morphotype. In a survey conducted in Recanto das Cigarras, Viçosa, Minas Gerais state (Brazil), we found three of these eight gall midges: <em>Liodiplosis cylindrica</em>, <em>L. spherica</em>, and <em>Asphondylia glomeratae</em>, each exhibiting a low infestation rate. This study offers an updated geographic distribution of these three gall midge species, recorded for the first time in Minas Gerais state.
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Crist, Jake. "Midges." Yale Review 108, no. 3 (2020): 86. http://dx.doi.org/10.1353/tyr.2020.0074.
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Crist, Jake. "Midges." Yale Review 108, no. 3 (2020): 86. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/yrev.13666.
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Rector, Brian G., Raymond J. Gagné, Juan Manuel Perilla López, et al. "Taxonomic Description of Stenodiplosis tectori n. sp. (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), a Seed Parasite of Cheatgrass, Anisantha tectorum, Based on Morphological and Mitochondrial DNA Data." Insects 12, no. 8 (2021): 755. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/insects12080755.
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Cheatgrass is an annual grass species from Eurasia that has become invasive in much of western North America. It has been implicated in recent increases in the frequency, size, and intensity of wildfires, contributing to severe economic, environmental, and social destruction. In order to reduce this damage, the USDA-ARS established a classical biological control program against cheatgrass. In 2018 and 2019, adult gall midges were collected emerging from cheatgrass seed heads collected at several sites in Bulgaria and Greece; this is the first gall midge ever recorded from cheatgrass. Morphological comparisons with related midge species recorded from other plant hosts revealed that this midge from cheatgrass is a new species, described here as Stenodiplosis tectori n. sp. This status was supported by sequence comparisons of a barcode region of the gene encoding the mitochondrial cytochrome c subunit I (CO1) protein in Stenodiplosis tectori n. sp. and three congeners. The present study is the first to report MT-CO1 data in the genus Stenodiplosis. The ingroup Stenodiplosis tectori n. sp. collected in the Balkans grouped in one phylogenetic supported clade, with an average K2P-distance from its closest related congener, S. sorghicola, of 7.73% (SD = 1.10). The findings indicated relatively high year-to-year within-population diversity. Implications for this gall midge’s utility as a biological control agent of cheatgrass are discussed.
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SZADZIEWSKI, RYSZARD, ELŻBIETA SONTAG, WIESŁAW KRZEMIŃSKI, and JACEK SZWEDO. "Two new genera of insectivorous biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber." Palaeoentomology 2, no. 6 (2019): 657–64. http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/palaeoentomology.2.6.17.
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Two new fossil genera and two new species of biting midges from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber are described and illustrated: Burmahelea neli Szadziewski & Sontag gen. et sp. nov. (Atriculicoidini) and Nelohelea neli Szadziewski & Sontag gen. et sp. nov. (Ceratopogonini). This is the oldest record (99 Ma) of a predatory biting midge in the extant tribe Ceratopogonini and the subfamily Ceratopogoninae.
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Robinson, John R. C., and George L. Teetes. "Insecticides for Suppression of Sorghum Midge on Dryland Grain Sorghum, 1987." Insecticide and Acaricide Tests 13, no. 1 (1988): 277. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/iat/13.1.277a.
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Abstract Grain sorghum (1.8 acres) was planted 19 May on rows spaced 40 inches apart. Twelve rows of mixed-hybrid sorghums of varying maturity ranges were planted prior to and adjacent to the test plot to increase abundance of sorghum midge during anthesis of sorghum panicles in the test plots. Five insecticide treatments and an untreated check were compared in a randomized block design with 4 replications. Experimental plots were 8 rows wide and 80 ft long. Applications were made to the middle 6 rows with a high-clearance self-propelled sprayer. Insecticide applications began when 30-40% of the panicles were flowering and when average adult midge density was 0.7 midges/panicle. Treatments were applied 24 and 30 Jul and 4 Aug. Adult midge density was determined 1 day prior to application of insecticide treatments. Sampling consisted of securing and collecting individual sorghum panicles in plastic bags. Samples were examined in the laboratory and midges were counted. Prior to the first insecticide application, midge density was determined from sampling 25 randomly selected panicles/replication. On the 2 subsequent sampling days, 5 panicles were sampled from each treatment plot. Visual estimates of the percentage of midge-damaged spikelets were made by 4 independent observers, with each observer rating 10 randomly selected panicles/plot. Panicles were hand harvested from 2, 2-m sections of treated row/plot. The harvested sorghum panicles were threshed, and the grain was weighed. Data were analyzed by conventional analysis of variance and multiple comparison procedures.
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Sick, Franziska, Martin Beer, Helge Kampen, and Kerstin Wernike. "Culicoides Biting Midges—Underestimated Vectors for Arboviruses of Public Health and Veterinary Importance." Viruses 11, no. 4 (2019): 376. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/v11040376.
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Culicoides biting midges, small hematophagous dipterans, are the demonstrated or putative vectors of multiple arboviruses of veterinary and public health importance. Despite its relevance in disease spread, the ceratopogonid genus Culicoides is still a largely neglected group of species, predominantly because the major human-affecting arboviruses are considered to be transmitted by mosquitoes. However, when a pathogen is detected in a certain vector species, a thorough search for further vectors often remains undone and, therefore, the relevant vector species may remain unknown. Furthermore, for many hematophagous arthropods, true vector competence is often merely suspected and not experimentally proven. Therefore, we aim to illuminate the general impact of Culicoides biting midges and to summarize the knowledge about biting midge-borne disease agents using the order Bunyavirales, the largest and most diverse group of RNA viruses, as an example. When considering only viruses evidentially transmitted by Culicoides midges, the Simbu serogroup (genus Orthobunyavirus) is presumably the most important group within the virus order. Its members are of great veterinary importance, as a variety of simbuviruses, e.g., the species Akabane orthobunyavirus or Schmallenberg orthobunyavirus, induces severe congenital infections in pregnant animals. The major zoonotic representative of this serogroup occurs in South and Central America and causes the so-called Oropouche fever, an acute febrile illness in humans.
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Nayduch, Dana, Vijay Shankar, Mary K. Mills, et al. "Transcriptome Response of Female Culicoides sonorensis Biting Midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) to Early Infection with Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease Virus (EHDV-2)." Viruses 11, no. 5 (2019): 473. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/v11050473.
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Female Culicoides sonorensis biting midges are vectors of epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV), which causes morbidity and mortality in wild and domesticated ruminants. The aims in this study were to identify key changes in female midge transcriptome profiles occurring during early infection with EHDV-2. Midges were fed either negative control bloodmeals or bloodmeals containing EHDV-2 and transcriptomes were acquired at 36 h through deep sequencing. Reads were de novo assembled into a transcriptome comprised of 18,754 unigenes. Overall, there were 2401 differentially expressed unigenes and ~60% were downregulated in response to the virus (953 up; 1448 down). Downstream Gene Ontology enrichment, KEGG pathway mapping, and manual analyses were used to identify the effect of virus ingestion at both the gene and pathway levels. Downregulated unigenes were predominantly assigned to pathways related to cell/tissue structure and integrity (actin cytoskeleton, adherens junction, focal adhesion, hippo signaling), calcium signaling, eye morphogenesis and axon guidance. Unigenes attributed to sensory functions (especially vision), behavior, learning and memory were largely downregulated. Upregulated unigenes included those coding for innate immune processes, olfaction and photoreceptor pigments. Our results suggest that midges respond to virus infection as soon as 36 h post-ingestion, and that EHDV-2 may have a significant phenotypic effect on sensory and neural tissues.
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Lei, Teng, Jingjing Gu, Mengyao Zhao, Yuqiu Chen, Chao Song, and Xin Qi. "Seasonal Dynamics of Non-Biting Midges (Diptera: Chironomidae) and Relevant Environmental Factors." Insects 15, no. 12 (2024): 921. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/insects15120921.
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The family Chironomidae is speciose and is present in almost all freshwater habitats. Adult non-biting midges emerge from waterbodies and swarm in high numbers, occasionally disrupting people’s outdoor activities. In order to understand the seasonal dynamics of species composition, a continuous observation of non-biting midge diversity was performed. Adult non-biting midges were collected using light traps from the autumn of 2022 to the summer of 2023 in an urban wetland park. Species were identified based on morphological characteristics and DNA barcodes. Alpha diversity was evaluated using Margalef, Pielou, and Shannon–Wiener indexes. Beta diversity was evaluated using unconstrained NMDS analysis and constrained CCA. The impacts of environmental factors, including barometric pressure, temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed, on the variation in species composition were estimated in the constrained analyses. A total of 42 species were identified, with 29 species belonging to Chironominae, 9 species belonging to Orthocladiinae, and 4 species belonging to Tanypodinae. The species composition varied across different seasons. Summer sites and autumn sites shared the highest similarity in diversity, and spring sites presented the lowest diversity. The variation was significantly correlated with environmental conditions. The results showed that seasonality is a factor influencing the diversity of adult non-biting midges.
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Kampen, Helge, and Doreen Werner. "Biting Midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) as Vectors of Viruses." Microorganisms 11, no. 11 (2023): 2706. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11112706.
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Biting midges of the genus Culicoides occur almost globally and can regionally and seasonally reach high abundances. Most species are hematophagous, feeding on all groups of vertebrates, including humans. In addition to being nuisance pests, they are able to transmit disease agents, with some viruses causing high morbidity and/or mortality in ruminants, horses and humans. Despite their impact on animal husbandry, public health and tourism, knowledge on the biology and ecology of culicoid biting midges and their interactions with ingested pathogens or symbiotic microorganisms is limited. Research is challenging due to unknown larval habitats, the insects’ tiny size, the inability to establish and breed most species in the laboratory and the laborious maintenance of colonies of the few species that can be reared in the laboratory. Consequently, the natural transmission of pathogens has experimentally been demonstrated for few species while, for others, only indirect evidence of vector potential exists. Most experimental data are available for Culicoides sonorensis and C. nubeculosus, the only species kept in western-world insectaries. This contribution gives an overview on important biting midge vectors, transmitted viruses, culicoid-borne viral diseases and their epidemiologies and summarizes the little knowledge on interactions between biting midges, their microflora and culicoid-borne arboviruses.
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Karmakar, Moumita, Joshua Kurek, Heather Haig, and Brian F. Cumming. "Consensus among multiple trophic levels during high- and low-water stands over the last two millennia in a northwest Ontario lake." Quaternary Research 81, no. 2 (2014): 251–59. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.yqres.2013.12.006.
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AbstractWe investigated the modern distribution of fossil midges within a dimictic lake and explored downcore patterns of inferred lake depths over the last 2000 years from previously published proxies. Modern midge distribution within Gall Lake showed a consistent and predictable pattern related to the lake-depth gradient with recognizable assemblages characteristic of shallow-water, mid-depth and profundal environments. Interpretations of downcore changes in midge assemblages, in conjunction with quantitative lake-depth inferences across a priori defined (based on diatom data) ~ 500-yr wet and dry periods, demonstrated that both invertebrate and algal assemblages exhibited similar timing and nature of ecological responses. Midges were quantified by their relative abundance, concentrations and an index of Chaoborus to chironomids, and all showed the greatest differences between the wet and dry periods. During the low lake-level period of the Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA: AD 900 to 1400), profundal chironomids declined, shallow-water and mid-depth chironomids increased, chironomid-inferred lake level declined and the Chaoborus-to-chironomid index decreased. The coherence between multiple trophic levels provides strong evidence of lower lake levels in Gall Lake during the MCA.
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BLOSSER, ERIK M., BETHANY L. MCGREGOR, and NATHAN D. BURKETT-CADENA. "A photographic key to the adult female biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae: Culicoides) of Florida, USA." Zootaxa 5433, no. 2 (2024): 151–82. http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5433.2.1.
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The biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae: Culicoides) are a diverse group of blood-feeding flies that includes numerous pest and vector species. Major gaps exist in our knowledge of the biology and ecology of the majority of Culicoides spp., due in part to a lack of keys for identifying the biting midges of a given region. In Florida, USA, The Sand Flies of Florida (Blanton and Wirth, 1979) has been a foundational resource for biting midge identification since its publication. The identification keys to the 47 biting midge species (and one subspecies) in The Sand Flies of Florida are not illustrated, however, and frequently rely upon microscopic features (spermathecae, antennal sensory pattern, number of teeth on mandible) as discriminating characters. Here we provide an updated photographic key to 49 nominal species of Culicoides from Florida, USA. The revised key orders characters so that species of nuisance, medical or veterinary importance can be reliably identified without slide mounting, an aspect that should facilitate ecological field work. Synoptic tables summarize the taxonomic affinity, distribution, abundance, seasonality, and medical / veterinary importance of the Culicoides spp. from Florida, compiled from published sources.