A survey of biting flies attacking equines in three states of the southwestern United States, 1972.

This research article is a study conducted in 1972 on different species of biting flies that attack equines in three Southwestern states of the United States, identifying 34 biting fly species and studying their geographical distribution, abundance, and behaviour.

Research Overview

• The research focused on a survey of biting flies, specifically targeting equines in the southwestern United States. This included studying the species recovered, their geographic distribution and their attacking abundance.
• The survey resulted in the discovery of 34 species of biting flies. This data was collected from 15 different sites across three states.

Key Findings

• Of the 34 biting fly species identified, the study determined that 22 species commonly attack equines.
• The most frequently found was the Culicoides variipennis (Coquillett) species, which was recovered from 12 of the 15 sites. This species made up almost a third (29.8%) of all species collected during the survey.
• The next two most common species were Psorophora columbiae (Dyar & Knab) and Aedes vexans (Meigen).
• The research noted that C. variipennis was predominantly active in the morning, identifying it as a crepuscular species in the Southwest.
• In some instances, both male and female C. variipennis were found to be blood-feeding simultaneously on the same host. This behaviour may indicate some populations have a trait where males mate with females on the host animal.

New Findings and Records

• The recovery of Culicoides hieroglyphicus Malloch from equines was a new record during this study’s time period.
• The records found for Culex coronator Dyar & Knab and Aedes thelcter Dyar appeared to be the first definitive evidence of these species attacking equines.

Observations on Collection Methods

• Data collected from both light traps and from the actuall equines were compared. The researchers concluded that neither method alone was adequate for determining the presence of mosquito species in a particular geographic area, especially when the population levels of a certain species were low.
• The implication of this observation indicates the need for diverse and multiple collection methods to ensure accurate identification and survey of species.