Attraction and Repellent Behaviors of Culicoides Biting Midges toward Cow Dung, Carbon Dioxide, and Essential Oils

Abstract

Culicoides biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) are hematophagous arthropod vectors that transmit epizootic arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses). Arboviruses are recognized as causes of pregnancy loss, encephalomyelitis, and congenital malformations in ruminants. Therefore, continuous monitoring and control of Culicoides, which causes significant damage to industrial animals are necessary. We performed attraction and repellent tests in Culicoides using various essential oils, cow dung, and carbon dioxide (CO2). Culicoides tended to move more to cow dung (60.8%, P<0.0001) and CO2 (63.8%, P<0.01). To the essential oils as repellents, 26.1% (P<0.0001), 18.7% (P<0.001), and 25.5% (P<0.01) of the Culicoides moved to the lavender, lemongrass, and eucalyptus chamber, respectively. The Culicoides that moved to the 3 essential oils chambers showed markedly low activity. Collectively, it was showed that Culicoides tended to be attractive to cow dung and CO2, and repellent from the 3 essential oils.