The maintenance of laboratory colonies of <i>Culicoides variipennis</i> (Coq.), <i>C. nubeculosus</i> (Mg.) and <i>C. riethi</i> Kieff. (Diptera, Ceratopogonidae)

Abstract

Abstract A method is described by which Culicoides variipennis (Coq.), C. riethi Kieff. and C. nubeculosus (Mg.) have been maintained as laboratory colonies for over five years. Techniques are given for the maintenance of adults, larvae and pupae; with some modifications these could probably be applied to a range of other species. Adult midges were held in waxed card pill boxes, and provided with sugar solution. Anaesthetised mice provided a blood-meal source. Larvae were reared in pans on a substrate of glass fibre in a medium which contained nutrient broth, grass meal and Bemax. The life-cycle of these species occupies 10–21 days at 23–25°C.