title: Influence of carbon dioxide on numbers of Culicoides midges collected with suction light traps in South Africa.
abstract: To implement risk management against diseases transmitted by species of Culicoides Latreille, 1809 (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), it is essential to identify all potential vectors. Light traps are the most commonly used tool for the collection of Culicoides midges. Given the indiscriminate artificial attraction of light, traps will collect all night-flying insects rather than only livestock-associated Culicoides midges. Factors that may increase the efficacy of traps, especially for livestock-associated Culicoides midges, require investigation. In the present study, results obtained with Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Onderstepoort light traps baited with carbon dioxide (CO2 ) were compared with those of unbaited controls. Comparisons were made using two replicates of a 4 × 4 randomized Latin square design. With both trap types, the mean numbers of Culicoides midges collected in 16 baited traps were higher than those caught in 16 unbaited traps. Although exceptionally low numbers were collected with the CDC traps, the increases in the numbers and frequency of collection of Culicoides imicola Kieffer, 1913 were more pronounced in the CDC traps compared with the Onderstepoort traps. These results indicate that the addition of CO2 may increase the efficiency of these traps for the collection of C. imicola and other livestock-associated Culicoides species.
authors.affiliation: Parasites, Vectors and Vector Borne Diseases, Agricultural Research Council (ARC)-Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.|Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Venter
authors.affiliation: Parasites, Vectors and Vector Borne Diseases, Agricultural Research Council (ARC)-Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
authors.forename: S N B
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Boikanyo
authors.affiliation: Parasites, Vectors and Vector Borne Diseases, Agricultural Research Council (ARC)-Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Majatladi
authors.affiliation: Biometry Unit, ARC, Pretoria, South Africa.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Morey
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002519:Ceratopogonidae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D007300:Insect Control / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008027:Light; D008297:Male; D013019:South Africa
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide
keywords: CO2; Culicoides imicola; insect collection