Publications

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morphology of the antennae of two species of biting midge: culicoides impunctatus (goetghebuer) and culicoides nubeculosus (meigen) (diptera, ceratopogonidae).scanning and transmission electron microscopy of the antennae of culicoides impunctatus and culicoides nubeculosus show that males and females share five sensillum types. sensilla chaetica resemble mechanoreceptors, each innervated by a single neurone whose dendrite terminates distally in a tubular body: the arrangement of sensilla on male antennae suggests that females are located by sound. the antennae have both sharp- and blunt-tipped sensilla trichodea, sharp-tipped sensilla on only the dist ...19921518067
blood digestion and oviposition in culicoides impunctatus goetghebuer and c. obsoletus (meigen) (diptera, ceratopogonidae). 19685751951
identification of bloodmeals of the scottish biting midge, culicoides impunctatus, by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa).an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa) has been developed to identify the bloodmeal sources of culicoides impunctatus goetghebuer. nightly light trapping in scotland, between april and september 1992, caught a total of 344 blood-engorged female c. impunctatus, all in may, june and july. the insects were stored in 70% ethanol and tested 5-7 months later. bloodmeal sources were positively identified for 246 (71.5%). bovine hosts were most common (38.4%), followed by deer (23.0%) and ...19948161839
laboratory feeding of culicoides impunctatus (diptera: ceratopogonidae) through natural and artificial membranes.an artificial membrane, blood-feeding technique was evaluated for culicoides impunctatus goetghebuer using wild-caught insects in scotland. chick skins and stretched nescofilm were satisfactory as feeding membranes. the maximum mean feeding rate achieved was 61.7 +/- 4.0% through nescofilm with < or = 50 female midges per cage. this rate decreased as a negative function of time and density. a 4 degrees c decrease in blood temperature resulted in a 30% reduction in feeding. atp applied to the out ...19948189422
methods for enhancing the blood feeding response of field-collected culicoides impunctatus (diptera:ceratopogonidae).handling methods were found to be lengthen the time after capture that culicoides impunctatus goetghebuer could be blood fed successfully in the laboratory using an artificial membrane technique. by maintaining high levels of humidity in holding cages kept in a cool, dark environment, > 30% feeding success was achieved 72 h after capture, when feeding was carried out at low light conditions.19968667401
evaluation of a eucalyptus-based repellent against culicoides impunctatus (diptera:ceratopogonidae) in scotland.a eucalyptus-based insect repellent (pmd) was evaluated against culicoides impunctatus in scotland in comparison with deet. in human landing catches, both repellents still afforded 98% protection from biting 8 h after application of 0.5 ml to the forearm. a second trial looking at protection between 8 and 10 h after repellent application showed 99.5% protection for pmd and 97% for deet as compared with controls.19968827615
the vertical distribution of culicoides impunctatus larvae.soil cores were taken from three transects, representing the vegetation typical of much of the west coast and highlands of scotland, in an attempt to investigate the distribution of culicoides impunctatus larvae. sampling of soil cores was carried out at four periods throughout the day (00.00, 05.00, 12.00 and 17.00 hours). each core sample was sliced into sections, 1 cm deep and culicoides impunctatus larval numbers in the first 8 cm of the soil core were investigated, using a sugar-flotation t ...19979061676
diel flight periodicity of the biting midge culicoides impunctatus and the effects of meteorological conditions.the hourly flight periodicity of adults of the biting midge culicoides impunctatus was sampled at a site in western scotland, using suction traps over 18 days in july/august 1994. in addition, meteorological conditions were logged continuously. female but not male c. impunctatus had a bimodal pattern of activity, with peaks at dawn and dusk. the dawn peak (05.00-07.00 hours) was most distinct. correlation analysis revealed significantly positive relationships between catches of female midges and ...19979430116
inhibition of antigen-induced cutaneous responses of ponies with insect hypersensitivity by the histamine-1 receptor antagonist chlorpheniramine.a whole-body extract of culicoides impunctatus induced a biphasic increase in oedema formation in ponies with insect hypersensitivity, with maxima after one and eight hours. the culicoides antigen did not induce similar responses in ponies with no previous history of the disease. in insect-hypersensitive ponies the local administration of chlorpheniramine (12 micrograms) completely inhibited oedema formation in response to histamine (0.04 microgram) and to culicoides antigen (0.5 microgram) at o ...19989762759
the spatial distribution of larvae of culicoides impunctatus biting midges.the spatial distribution of culicoides impunctatus goetghebuer (diptera: ceratopogonidae) larvae was sampled at a site in western scotland, and geostatistical analyses were used to quantify spatial dependencies. nested sampling and analysis indicated that most of the spatial variance occurred within distances of 160-640 cm, levelling off at distances >640 cm. semivariograms for transformed data from three 100 m x 100 m grids showed similar, isotropic patterns for larval counts, soil organic cont ...199910608224
two new species of larval mites (acari: trombidioidea: microtrombidiidae and johnstonianidae) parasitising culicoides impunctatus, the highland midge (insecta: ceratopogonidae), in scotland.the larval stage of the trombidioid mites parafeiderium stuarti n. sp. (family microtrombidiidae thor, 1935) and centrotrombidium blackwellae n. sp. (family johnstonianidae newell, 1957) are described. both species were found parasitising culicoides impunctatus goetghebuer, the highland midge (diptera: ceratopogonidae), in scotland. a revised diagnosis for parafeiderium vercammen-grandjean & cochrane, 1974 and a key to the world species of larval centrotrombidium kramer, 1896 are given.199910619072
repellent and antifeedant activity of salicylic acid and related compounds against the biting midge, culicoides impunctatus (diptera: ceratopogonidae).an artificial membrane, blood-feeding method was used to assess the repellent and antifeedant effects of derivatives of salicylic acid on the biting midge culicoides impunctatus goetghebeur. trans-2-hydroxycyclohexanecarboxylic acid, 6-methylsalicylic acid, 2,6-dihydroxy-4-methylbenzoic acid, and salicyluric acid caused highly significant inhibition of feeding, with salicyluric acid performing significantly greater than the other compounds. investigating the effects of alkyl substitution of sali ...200010730491
responses of the biting midge culicoides impunctatus to acetone, co2 and 1-octen-3-ol in a wind tunnel.responses of host-seeking female culicoides impunctatus (goetghebuer) (diptera: ceratopogonidae) to acetone, carbon dioxide and 1-octen-3-ol were measured in a wind tunnel. carbon dioxide, presented as a filamentous plume, increased upwind flight in a dose-dependent manner, up to 0.09% concentration. a homogenous co2 plume elicited similar upwind responses at concentrations up to 0.09%, whereas higher plume concentrations (> 0.1%) induced erratic responses with a suppression of upwind flight. bo ...200011016438
field studies on efficacy of host odour baits for the biting midge culicoides impunctatus in scotland.the efficacy of some putative attractants for the biting midge culicoides impunctatus (goetghebuer) (diptera: ceratopogonidae) was assessed using odour-baited 'delta traps' and suction traps. 1-octen-3-ol was confirmed as a potent olfactory attractant for c. impunctatus when released at 0.06mg/h. acetone (23mg/h) and a mix of six phenolic compounds (phenol, 3-ethylphenol, 4-ethylphenol, 3-methylphenol, 4-methylphenol and 4-propylphenol), at undetermined release rate, also significantly increased ...200111434548
complete development of three species of haemoproteus (haemosporida, haemoproteidae) in the biting midge culicoides impunctatus (diptera, ceratopogonidae).development of haemoproteus balmorali, h. dolniki, and h. tartakovskyi was followed in experimentally infected biting midges culicoides impunctatus on the curonian spit in the baltic sea. wild-caught flies were allowed to take blood meals on naturally infected spotted flycatchers muscicapa striata, chaffinches fringilla coelebs, or crossbills loxia curvirostra harboring mature gametocytes of these parasites. the engorged biting midges were collected, held at 14-18 c, and dissected daily. mature ...200212435121
detrimental effects of haemoproteus infections on the survival of biting midge culicoides impunctatus (diptera: ceratopogonidae).the effects of haemoproteus belopolskyi, haemoproteus fringillae, and haemoproteus lanii on the survival of their vector the biting midge culicoides impunctatus were examined. wild-caught females were infected experimentally by allowing them to feed on naturally infected birds. a group of flies, which fed on an uninfected bird, was used as a control. there was a highly significant difference in the survival rate between the noninfected group and all groups of infected flies for postfeeding (pf) ...200415040695
the transmission of haemoproteus belopolskyi (haemosporida: haemoproteidae) of blackcap by culicoides impunctatus (diptera: ceratopogonidae).haemoproteus belopolskyi of blackcap, sylvia atricapilla, underwent sporogony in wild-caught female biting midges, culicoides impunctatus, which were experimentally infected by feeding them on naturally infected birds. the engorged flies were held for 8-12 days to allow development of sporozoites and then aspirated and triturated in 0.85% saline. seven uninfected nestlings of blackcap at the age of 20-21 days were inoculated into the pectoral muscle with 0.3 ml of the slurry containing approxima ...200415040696
heterogeneity of its1 sequences in the biting midge culicoides impunctatus (goetghebuer) suggests a population in argyll, scotland, may be genetically distinct.ribosomal dna (rdna) internal transcribed spacer 1 (its1) is a useful genomic region for understanding evolutionary and genetic relationships. in the current study, variation in its1 from eight culicoides species was analysed by pcr, dna restriction analysis, cloning, and sequencing. its1 variants were essentially homogenized within a species, as sequences were identical or closely related. however, culicoides impunctatus its1 sequences derived from one (argyll) of five populations contained con ...200415190372
a morphological investigation of culicoides spp. biting midges (diptera: ceratopogonidae) from the caribbean.features of the antennae, maxillary palps, and mouthparts of the females of seven species of culicoides spp. biting midges collected from a montane rainforest site in trinidad, west indies, were studied by light and scanning electron microscopy. comparisons were made with two british species, culicoides impunctatus and culicoides nubeculosus. species-specific differences were demonstrated in the camber and pitch of mandibular teeth, the size and shape of the subapical labral sensilla, the size a ...200415266740
an attempt to control culicoides impunctatus goetgheubuer in scotland by barrier-spraying. 194915405631
culicoides midge trap enhancement with animal odour baits in scotland.examples of the commercial trap mosquito magnet pro (mmp emitting attractant 1-octen-3-ol in carbon dioxide 500 ml/min generated from propane fuel), were run 24 h/day on the isle of skye, scotland, during june-august 2001 and evaluated for catching culicoides biting midges (diptera: ceratopogonidae). from 30 days trapping, the catch averaged 2626 +/- 1358 culicoides females/trap/day (mean +/- se, range 558 +/- 139 to 6088 +/- 3597, for five sets of six consecutive nights), predominantly the pest ...200415641999
toward development of neem-based repellents against the scottish highland biting midge culicoides impunctatus.oil of neem, from the tree azadirachta indica a. juss (meliaceae), was evaluated for repellent and antifeedant activity against culicoides biting midges (diptera: ceratopogonidae), by three complementary methods with serial dilutions. electroantennograms revealed the sensitivity of culicoides nubeculosus (meigen) females to neem > or = 0.10%. culicoides impunctatus goetghebuer females were repelled by > or = 1% in a y-tube olfactometer, using a membrane feeder for wild-caught parous females of c ...200415642014
effect of haemoproteus belopolskyi (haemosporida: haemoproteidae) on body mass of the blackcap sylvia atricapilla.the effect of initial haemoproteus belopolskyi infection on the weight of its natural host, the blackcap sylvia atricapilla, was investigated. fourteen blackcap nestlings were taken at the age of 4-5 days and raised by hand in the laboratory. they were free of blood parasites. seven 20- to 21-day-old nestlings were infected experimentally by inoculation in their pectoral muscle with approximately 45 sporozoites, which had developed in the experimentally infected biting midge culicoides impunctat ...200617152968
within-host speciation of malaria parasites.sympatric speciation-the divergence of populations into new species in absence of geographic barriers to hybridization-is the most debated mode of diversification of life forms. parasitic organisms are prominent models for sympatric speciation, because they may colonise new hosts within the same geographic area and diverge through host specialization. however, it has been argued that this mode of parasite divergence is not strict sympatric speciation, because host shifts likely cause the sudden ...200717311104
the phenology and population dynamics of culicoides spp. in different ecosystems in the netherlands.the netherlands has enjoyed a relatively free state of vector-borne diseases of economic importance for more than one century. emerging infectious diseases may change this situation, threatening the health of humans, domestic livestock and wildlife. in order to be prepared for the potential outbreak of vector-borne diseases, a study was undertaken to investigate the distribution and seasonal dynamics of candidate vectors of infectious diseases with emphasis on bluetongue vectors (culicoides spp. ...200818639947
identification of human-derived volatile chemicals that interfere with attraction of the scottish biting midge and their potential use as repellents.the scottish biting midge, culicoides impunctatus (diptera: ceratopogonidae), is a major pest in scotland, causing a significant impact to the scottish tourist and forestry industries. c. impunctatus is a generalist feeder, preferring to feed on large mammals, and is notorious for its attacks on humans. until now, there was anecdotal evidence for differential attraction of female host-seeking c. impunctatus to individual human hosts, and the mechanism for this phenomenon was unknown. using extra ...200919351071
the life-cycle and habits of culicoides impunctatus goetghebuer and culicoides obsoletus meigen, together with some observations on the life-cycle of culicoides odibilis austen, culicoides pallidicornis kieffer, culicoides cubita lis edwards and culicoides chiopterus meigen. 194720249294
an investigation into effects of gammexane on the larvae, pupae and adults of culicoides impunctatus goetghebuer and on the adults of culicoides obsoletus meigen. 194720249298
to bite or not to bite! a questionnaire-based survey assessing why some people are bitten more than others by midges.the scottish biting midge, culicoides impunctatus, responsible for more than 90% of biting attacks on human beings in scotland, is known to demonstrate a preference for certain human hosts over others.201020500852
arm-in-cage testing of natural human-derived mosquito repellents.individual human subjects are differentially attractive to mosquitoes and other biting insects. previous investigations have demonstrated that this can be attributed partly to enhanced production of natural repellent chemicals by those individuals that attract few mosquitoes in the laboratory. the most important compounds in this respect include three aldehydes, octanal, nonanal and decanal, and two ketones, 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one and geranylacetone [(e)-6,10-dimethylundeca-5,9-dien-2-one]. in ...201020727149
molecular differentiation of culicoides biting midges (diptera: ceratopogonidae) from the subgenus culicoides latreille in denmark.identification of culicoides biting midges to species has attracted attention due to the recent outbreak of bluetongue disease in northern europe. identification of culicoides to species level has been based on morphological characters and is difficult as several species belonging to species complexes are hard to distinguish. we evaluated the use of the mitochondrial dna cytochrome oxidase i gene (coi) barcode region in the identification of species within the subgenus culicoides. coi barcode se ...201122037825
Impacts of climate, host and landscape factors on Culicoides species in Scotland.Culicoides biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) vector a wide variety of internationally important arboviral pathogens of livestock and represent a widespread biting nuisance. This study investigated the influence of landscape, host and remotely-sensed climate factors on local abundance of livestock-associated species in Scotland, within a hierarchical generalized linear model framework. The Culicoides obsoletus group and the Culicoides pulicaris group accounted for 56% and 41%, respectively ...201122103842
Seasonal dynamics of biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae: Culicoides), the potential vectors of bluetongue virus, in Sweden.The outbreak of bluetongue (BT) in northern Europe 2006 initiated the monitoring of vectors, biting midges of the genus Culicoides in Sweden. In order to determine the diversity, distribution and seasonal dynamics of Culicoides, weekly collections were made during 2008 and during March-December 2009 using the Ondestepoort Veterinary Institute black light trap. Twenty sampling sites were selected in 12 provinces. In total of 30,704 Culicoides were collected in 2008 and 32,252 in 2009. The most ab ...201121944873
evidence of an 'invitation' effect in feeding sylvatic stegomyia albopicta from cambodia.orientation of haematophagous insects towards a potential host is largely mediated by kairomones that, in some groups or species may include chemicals produced during feeding by the insects themselves, the so called 'invitation' effect.201425015104
pcr detection of malaria parasites and related haemosporidians: the sensitive methodology in determining bird-biting insects.knowledge about feeding preference of blood-sucking insects is important for the better understanding epidemiology of vector-borne parasitic diseases. extraction of dna from blood present in abdomens of engorged insects provides opportunities to identify species of their vertebrate hosts. however, this approach often is insufficiently sensitive due to rapid degeneration of host dna in midguts. recent studies indicate that avian malaria parasites (plasmodium spp.) and related haemosporidians (hae ...201627207268
are bogs reservoirs for emerging disease vectors? evaluation of culicoides populations in the hautes fagnes nature reserve (belgium).several species of culicoides (diptera: ceratopogonidae) biting midges serve as biological vectors for the bluetongue virus (btv) and the recently described schmallenberg virus (sbv) in northern europe. since their recent emergence in this part of the continent, these diseases have caused considerable economic losses to the sheep and cattle industries. much data is now available that describe the distribution, population dynamics, and feeding habits of these insects. however, little is known reg ...201323799137
culicoides species communities associated with wild ruminant ecosystems in spain: tracking the way to determine potential bridge vectors for arboviruses.the genus culicoides latreille 1809 is a well-known vector for protozoa, filarial worms and, above all, numerous viruses. the bluetongue virus (btv) and the recently emerged schmallenberg virus (sbv) are responsible for important infectious, non-contagious, insect-borne viral diseases found in domestic ruminants and transmitted by culicoides spp. both of these diseases have been detected in wild ruminants, but their role as reservoirs during the vector-free season still remains relatively unknow ...201526510136
biting midges (culicoides, diptera) transmit haemoproteus parasites of owls: evidence from sporogony and molecular phylogeny.haemoproteus parasites are widespread, and several species cause diseases both in birds and blood-sucking insects. these pathogens are transmitted by dipterans belonging to the ceratopogonidae and hippoboscidae, however certain vector species remain unknown for the majority of haemoproteus spp. owls are often infected by haemoproteus parasites, but experimental studies on vectors of these infections are lacking. the aim of this study was to investigate sporogonic development of two widespread ha ...201526041656
chicken volatiles repel host-seeking malaria mosquitoes.anopheles arabiensis is a dominant vector of malaria in sub-saharan africa, which feeds indoors and outdoors on human and other vertebrate hosts, making it a difficult species to control with existing control methods. novel methods that reduce human-vector interactions are, therefore, required to improve the impact of vector control programmes. investigating the mechanisms underlying the host discrimination process in an. arabiensis could provide valuable knowledge leading to the development of ...201627439360
circadian activity of culicoides oxystoma (diptera: ceratopogonidae), potential vector of bluetongue and african horse sickness viruses in the niayes area, senegal.culicoides biting midges (diptera: ceratopogonidae) are important vectors of arboviruses in africa. culicoides oxystoma has been recently recorded in the niayes region of senegal (west africa) and its high abundance on horses suggests a potential implication in the transmission of the african horse sickness virus in this region. this species is also suspected to transmit bluetongue virus to imported breeds of sheep. little information is available on the biology and ecology of culicoides in afri ...201526002826
a review of the impacts of degradation threats on soil properties in the uk.national governments are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of their soil resources and are shaping strategies accordingly. implicit in any such strategy is that degradation threats and their potential effect on important soil properties and functions are defined and understood. in this paper, we aimed to review the principal degradation threats on important soil properties in the uk, seeking quantitative data where possible. soil erosion results in the removal of important topsoil an ...201527667890
a new attractant for monitoring western flower thrips, frankliniella occidentalis in protected crops.monitoring of pest populations is an essential component of integrated pest management. an early warning system helps growers decide when best to take control measures, or when to alter them, should a control method prove inadequate. studies have shown that adding chemical attractants to sticky cards can increase trap catch of western flower thrips, frankliniella occidentalis, a global pest of agriculture and horticulture, giving more accurate accounts of population size and dynamics, thus leadi ...201525763301
vertebrate pheromones and other semiochemicals: the potential for accommodating complexity in signalling by volatile compounds for vertebrate management.the interaction between volatile and non-volatile, e.g. proteinaceous, components of pheromone and other semiochemical-based signalling systems presents a daunting set of problems for exploitation in the management of vertebrates, good or bad. aggravating this is the complexity of the mixtures involved with pheromones, not only by definition associated with each species, but also with individual members of that species and their positions within their immediate communities. nonetheless, already ...025109967
host-seeking activity of bluetongue virus vectors: endo/exophagy and circadian rhythm of culicoides in western europe.feeding success of free-living hematophagous insects depends on their ability to be active when hosts are available and to reach places where hosts are accessible. when the hematophagous insect is a vector of pathogens, determining the components of host-seeking behavior is of primary interest for the assessment of transmission risk. our aim was to describe endo/exophagy and circadian host-seeking activity of palaearctic culicoides species, which are major biting pests and arbovirus vectors, usi ...201223144735
deet repels ornery mosquitoes. 200818772369
xiphinema krugi, species complex or complex of cryptic species?fourteen morphologically putative populations of x. krugi were clearly separated into four different profiles by rflp analysis (alu i and hinf i), sequencing of the its-1 region, and subsequent maximum likelihood phylogenetic analyses. these four profiles were further supported by a principal component analysis of morphometric characters that yielded four taxonomic clusters matching those produced by the molecular data. sequence homology was greater amongst populations that represented the same ...019259458
haemoproteus minutus and haemoproteus belopolskyi (haemoproteidae): complete sporogony in the biting midge culicoides impunctatus (ceratopogonidae), with implications on epidemiology of haemoproteosis.species of haemoproteus (haemoproteidae) are cosmopolitan haemosporidian parasites, some of which cause severe diseases in birds. numerous recent studies address molecular characterization, distribution and genetic diversity of haemoproteids. however, the information about their vectors is scarce. we investigated sporogonic development of two widespread species of haemoproteus (haemoproteus minutus and haemoproteus belopolskyi) in the experimentally infected biting midge culicoides impunctatus. ...201425102434
mechanisms of mortality in culicoides biting midges due to haemoproteus infection.we examined the effects of haemoproteus infection on the survival and pathology caused in the biting midges. forty-six females of culicoides impunctatus were exposed experimentally by allowing them to feed on a naturally infected red-backed shrike infected with haemoproteus lanii (lineage hrb1, gametocytaemia 5·2%). seventeen females were fed on an uninfected bird (controls). dead insects were collected, counted and used for dissection, histological examination and polymerase chain reaction-base ...201627608600
observations on the biology of culicoides impunctatus goetgh. (dipt., ceratopogonidae) in southern england. 197022894837
the widespread biting midge culicoides impunctatus (ceratopogonidae) is susceptible to infection with numerous haemoproteus (haemoproteidae) species.haemoproteus parasites are widespread, and some species cause disease in wild and domestic birds. however, the insect vectors remain unknown for the majority of species and genetic lineages of avian haemoproteus. this information is crucial for better understanding the biology of haemoproteids, the epidemiology of haemoproteosis, and the development of morphological characters of sporogonic stages in wildlife haemosporidian parasites. it remains unclear whether the specificity of haemoproteus pa ...201728841905
evaluation of host-derived volatiles for trapping culicoides biting midges (diptera: ceratopogonidae).culicoides biting midges (diptera: ceratopognidae) cause pain and distress through blood feeding, and transmit viruses that threaten both animal and human health worldwide. there are few effective tools for monitoring and control of biting midges, with semiochemical-based strategies offering the advantage of targeting host-seeking populations. in previous studies, we identified the host preference of multiple culicoides species, including culicoides impunctatus, as well as cattle-derived compoun ...201728674827
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