Host-Feeding Patterns of Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) Collected from Livestock in Virginia, USA

Abstract

Host-feeding patterns of female Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) were studied in 3 physiographical provinces of Virginia, USA. Sheep- and cattle-baited traps collected 3662 female Culicoides of 17 species; these included 11 new host records. The most abundant species collected were C. biguttatus, C. stellifer, C. variipennis, and C. venustus. Examination of parous rates of collected specimens showed that nulliparous C. stellifer began host feeding earlier than parous flies. At the Piedmont site, parous rates were higher in C. stellifer collected from cattle than in those from sheep. At the coastal plain site, parous rates were higher in C. variipennis collected from cattle than in those from sheep. The parous rates of midges collected in bait traps and black-light traps did not differ. We suggest that site, host, and trap time influenced the number of parous females collected.