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Medical and veterinary entomology2005; 18(4); 336-342; doi: 10.1111/j.0269-283X.2004.00516.x

Culicoides midge trap enhancement with animal odour baits in Scotland.

Abstract: 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 Culicoides impunctatus Goetghebuer (68% overall), plus C. vexans (Staeger) > C. delta Edwards > C. pulicaris (L.) > C. lupicaris Downs & Kettle > C. albicans (Winnertz) > other Culicoides spp. Attempts were made to enhance the odour baiting system by adding hexane-extracts (2.1 mg/day) of hair samples from large host animals, resulting in the following effects on Culicoides collections: sheep - 53 %, red deer - 26 %, calf + 20%, pony + 40%, water buffalo + 262%, with greatest increases for C. impunctatus and C. pulicaris. Serial concentrations of these animal extracts (10(-1) - 10(-3) x 2.2 g/mL) were assayed on parous female C. impunctatus response in a Y-tube olfactometer (air-flow 150 mL/min), and by electroantennogram (EAG) on Culicoides nubeculosus Meigen laboratory-reared parous females. Positive behavioural responses to host odours were dose-dependent: the water buffalo extract being most active (threshold 0.22 g/mL), similar to deer, whereas other host extracts were > or = 10-fold less active. Correspondingly, the EAG threshold was lowest for water buffalo, 10-fold greater for deer, calf and pony, but not detected for sheep. If the active component(s) of these host extracts can be identified and synthesized, they might be employed to improve the capture of Culicoides midges for local control by removal trapping.
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Publication Date: 2005-01-12 PubMed ID: 15641999DOI: 10.1111/j.0269-283X.2004.00516.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research study focuses on the enhancement of traps targeted at Culicoides biting midges in Scotland by baiting it with animal odours. The researchers found that the water buffalo odour was the most effective in increasing the catch of the midge traps.

Research Background

  • The study is situated in the Isle of Skye, Scotland, during June-August 2001. The research team uses the commercial trap Mosquito Magnet Pro (MMP) as their core trapping apparatus, with an added attraction of 1-octen-3-ol in carbon dioxide.
  • The midges in focus for this study are the Culicoides biting midges, especially the Culicoides impunctatus Goetghebuer species, which constitute a significant 68% of the total catch.

Approach and Methods

  • In order to enhance the trapping efficiency of the MMP, the team decided to add the smell of large animals as bait. They achieved this goal by adding hexane-extracts of hair samples from various animals, including sheep, red deer, calf, pony, and water buffalo.
  • The traps were evaluated for over 30 days, and averages were noted for the number of female Culicoides caught per day.
  • This technique of ‘odour-baiting’ with hexane-extracts was measured for effectiveness using a Y-tube olfactometer and an electroantennogram (EAG) on Culicoides nubeculosus lab-reared parous females.

Key Findings

  • The team discovered that the water buffalo extract seemed to increase the effectiveness of the traps the most, with a percentage increase of 262% in catch. In fact, all the other animal extracts also showed positive results with varying degrees of effectiveness.
  • Behavioral response to the odours was found to be dose-dependent; the more the concentration of extract, the higher the trap’s effectiveness.
  • Interestingly, the EAG threshold was lowest for the active component in the water buffalo extract; it was about 10 times more for deer, calf, and pony. For sheep, the EAG threshold could not be detected.

Conclusions and Future Directions

  • The study concluded that the odours from large animals seem to enhance the trapping efficiency significantly, particularly the extract from a water buffalo. If it would be possible to identify this active component in the various host extracts, it could be synthesized and employed to improve local control over these pest midges.

Cite This Article

APA
Mands V, Kline DL, Blackwell A. (2005). Culicoides midge trap enhancement with animal odour baits in Scotland. Med Vet Entomol, 18(4), 336-342. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0269-283X.2004.00516.x

Publication

Medical and veterinary entomology
ISSN: 0269-283X
NlmUniqueID: 8708682
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 18
Issue: 4
Pages: 336-342

Researcher Affiliations

Mands, V
  • Centre for Tropical Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, UK.
Kline, D L
    Blackwell, A

      MeSH Terms

      • Animals
      • Behavior, Animal
      • Buffaloes
      • Cattle
      • Ceratopogonidae / physiology
      • Deer
      • Electrophysiology
      • Female
      • Horses
      • Insect Control / methods
      • Pheromones / physiology
      • Scotland
      • Sheep

      Citations

      This article has been cited 13 times.
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