title: Collection of Culicoides spp. with four light trap models during different seasons in the Balearic Islands.
abstract: Bluetongue (BT) is a viral disease that affects ruminants, being especially pathogenic in certain breeds of sheep. Its viral agent (bluetongue virus; BTV) is transmitted by several species of Culicoides biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae). Different models of suction light traps are being used in a number of countries for the collection of BTV vector species. To determine the relative effectiveness of different light traps under field conditions, four traps (Onderstepoort, Mini-CDC, Rieb and Pirbright) were compared. These traps were rotated between four sites on a cattle farm in Mallorca (Balearic Islands, Spain) for several non-consecutive nights. Results showed remarkable disparities in the efficacy of the traps for the collection of Culicoides midges. The highest number of midges collected in the Onderstepoort trap (x¯±SD=62±94.2) was not significantly different from that collected in the Mini-CDC (x¯±SD=58±139.2). The Rieb trap collected the lowest number of midges (x¯±SD=3±4.0). Significantly higher mean numbers of midges were collected in the Onderstepoort than in either the Pirbright (P=0.002) or Rieb traps (P=0.008). There were also differences in the Culicoides species composition as determine with the various traps. These results indicate that the Onderstepoort or Mini-CDC traps will be more effective than either the Rieb or Pirbright traps for the collection of large numbers of Culicoides midges.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Zoology, University of the Balearic Islands (UIB), Cra. Valldemossa Km 7.5, Palma de Mallorca, Spain. ricardo.delrio@uib.es
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: del Río
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Monerris
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miquel
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Borràs
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Calvete
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Estrada
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lucientes
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Miranda
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001819:Bluetongue / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D001820:Bluetongue virus / Q000502:physiology*; D002417:Cattle; D002519:Ceratopogonidae / Q000821:virology*; D004772:Entomology / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000821:virology*; D008027:Light; D008297:Male; D012621:Seasons; D012756:Sheep; D034561:Sheep, Domestic; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology