Speaker
Description
Biting midges of the genus Culicoides are vectors of veterinary relevance, as they can transmit a range of pathogens, including bluetongue virus and epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus. Novel control options may include push-pull systems to alleviate the impact of insect vectors on their hosts. While some spatial repellents have proven to be valid “push” candidates, we still lack an effective and selective attractant. Most field-collected biting midges are positive for sugars, an essential energy source for both female and male individuals. Biting midges were collected from field sites around Zürich, Switzerland, and their plant sugar source was analyzed by amplification and sequencing of residual plant DNA from the Culicoides’ crop. Over 100 clear DNA sequences were retrieved, revealing that Solanum tuberosum (potato), and Glycine max (soya bean) are recurring plant species in the diet of these insects. Biting midges were able to acquire sugars from these plants in a laboratory single-choice setup. Their survival after three days was also higher in the presence of these species, when compared to other plants. By GC-EAD we will unravel which volatiles might be responsible for the attraction of biting midges to these sugar sources. The identification of attractive compounds can lead to the development of effective baited traps or toxic sugar baits.
