Biting midges (Culicoides)

Abstract

Several genera within the nematocerous family Ceratopogonidae include blood-sucking midges (Fig. 4.1), sometimes misleadingly known as ‘sandflies’, particularly the genus Culicoides in which there are at least 800 decribed species. Culicoides range in size from 1 to 5 mm and, although small, they are fairly robustly built. They are usually dark in colour, have long bead-like antennae of 13 to 15 segments, a short downwardly-projecting proboscis and palps, and mottled wings with a characteristic mask-like costal cell on the leading edge.