Medical and Veterinary Entomology (2014) 28, 228-231

L.P.C. Carvalho and F.S. Silva (2014)
Seasonal abundance of livestock-associated Culicoides species in northeastern Brazil
Medical and Veterinary Entomology 28 (2), 228-231
Abstract: Culicoides biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) are of great medical and veterinary importance because the haematophagous females of some species can transmit diseases to humans and animals. In order to determine the presence and seasonal abundance of the bluetongue virus (BTV) vector Culicoides insignis Lutz at domestic animal sheds in northeastern Brazil, insects were collected once a month between January and December 2010. Light traps were set from 18.00 to 06.00 hours at a pigsty, chicken coop and bovine corral. Culicoides insignis accounted for 81% of the 22 316 specimens collected. Other well-represented species were: Culicoides paucienfuscatus Barbosa (3246 individuals), Culicoides diabolicus Hoffman (308), Culicoides leopoldoi Ortiz (224) and Culicoides duartei Tavares and Luna Dias (221). The remainder accounted for 4% of the total sample. Culicoides insignis occurred mostly at the cattle corral, 98.2% in the rainy season. This study confirms the presence and close association of C. insignis with cattle in Maranhão state, northeastern Brazil and emphasizes the risk of bluetongue infections spreading in the area.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Francinaldo S. Silva

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
surveys/sampling/distribution
population dynamics/ epidemiology

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Culicoides insignis		Brazil (NE)
	Culicoides paucienfuscatus		Brazil (NE)
	Culicoides leopoldoi		Brazil (NE)