Human Biting Activity by Rain Forest Culicoides.
Abstract
The temporal, spatial and seasonal distribution of biting activity of anthropophilic Culicoides (Diptera:Ceratopogonidae) was studied in cleared and forested areas near Providencia, Colombia. A total of 21, 188 specimens were collected, comprising 54 species. Culicoides pseudodiabolicus was the predominant species in both forest and cleared areas, accounting for 86.1% of the specimens collected. Its greatest abundance was during the wet season, its biting activity was mainly nocturnal and it exhibited some arboreal preference. The second most abundant forest species was C. gabaldoni which accounted for 7.1% of the specimens in the forest catches. It is diurnal with maximum biting between 1200 and 1600 hours, arboreal, and present throughout the year although populations were somewhat reduced toward the end of the dry season. In clearings, diurnal biting activity was almost negligible but at night activity became comparable to that in the forest.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 27, 1975
- Accession Number
- ADA016973
Entities
People
- Gene R. Defoliart
Organizations
- University of Wisconsin–Madison