A Method of Feeding the Biting Midge Culicoides Brevitarsis (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) on Mammalian Hosts

A method of feeding Culiroides brevitarsis on mammalian hosts has been developed, using the ear as the feeding site. Feeding cages can be readily made for most animal species by adapting a cardboard food carton and lid to enclose the ear. Insects were starved for 24 h before a feeding trial. Best results were obtained with flies 2 to 5 days old. C. brevitarsis has been fed successfully on calf, sheep, dog and rabbit. Four other species of Culiroides and 2 mosquito species were also fed on sheep.