Biting Midges, Culicoides spp. (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

Culicoides is the most important of four genera of the family Ceratopogonidae which feed on the blood of vertebrate animals. Culicoides includes more than 1,400 named species, and at least 50 are thought to be vectors of disease, spreading pathogens to man and animals.

Classification and Recognition

• Order: Diptera

  • Suborder: Nematocera

    • Infraorder: Culicomorpha

      • Superfamily: Chironomoidea

        • Family: Ceratopogonidae

          • Subfamily: Ceratopogoninae

            • Tribe: Culicoidini

              • Genus: Culicoides

The Ceratopogonidae as a whole is a family of small nematocerous flies, 2–4 mm in length with a wingspan of usually less than 2 mm. Although closely related to the non-biting midges, or Chironomidae, they are easily distinguished by the female’s biting mouthparts, their short fore legs and characteristic venation on their membranous wings. They are most commonly known as “biting midges” but there are numerous geographical variations, including “sandflies,” “punkies,” “no-see-ums,” “no-nos,” “moose-flies” and “biting...