<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<p>Biting midges are insects which annoy horses as they cause discomfort and by the sucking of blood, they cause painful lesions that, in certain cases, can trigger acute allergic reactions. They also act as potential vectors of many pathogens of bacterial, viral and parasitic origin. The aim of this study was to investigate seasonal dynamics, abundance and species composition of biting midges, and implementing protection options at the Equestrian centre of the University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy (UVMP) in Košice in the years 2021 and 2022. During this time period (of 2021 and 2022), we captured 4797 biting midges. Our results showed that in 2021 the most frequently captured species were <italic>C. obsoletus/C. scoticus</italic> (prevalence 86.6 %), followed by <italic>C. punctatus</italic> and <italic>C. pulicaris</italic> (prevalence 5.37 % and 3.86 %, resp.). In addition, <italic>C. lupicaris</italic>, <italic>C. newsteadi</italic>, <italic>C. furcillatus</italic>, <italic>C. festivipennis</italic>, <italic>C. slovacus</italic>, <italic>C. tauricus</italic>, <italic>C. clastrieri</italic>, <italic>C. dewulfi</italic>, <italic>C. fagineus</italic> and <italic>C. circumscriptus</italic> were identified as the minority species. In this year, the highest abundance of these insects (1758 biting midges) was observed at the end of June. In 2022, we detected a clear dominance of <italic>C. obsoletus/C. scoticus</italic> (prevalence 97.0 %) and the highest number of biting midges (655) was captured in mid-May). In this year, the minority species included, <italic>C. pulicaris</italic>, <italic>C. punctatus</italic> and <italic>C. lupicaris</italic>. The identification of the host blood showed that man <italic>(Homo sapiens)</italic> was the dominant host, namely of 80 % of the examined biting midges of species <italic>C. obsoletus/C. scoticus</italic>, <italic>C. dewulfi</italic>, <italic>C. punctatus</italic> and <italic>C. festivipennis</italic>. In one female of species <italic>C. fagineus</italic> we identified the host blood from horses <italic>(Equus caballusi)</italic>. In 2022, we detected the blood of a domestic rabbit <italic>(Oryctolagus cuniculus)</italic> in the species of <italic>C. obsoletus/C. scoticus</italic>.</p>
</abstract>

Biting midges are insects which annoy horses as they cause discomfort and by the sucking of blood, they cause painful lesions that, in certain cases, can trigger acute allergic reactions. They also act as potential vectors of many pathogens of bacterial, viral and parasitic origin. The aim of this study was to investigate seasonal dynamics, abundance and species composition of biting midges, and implementing protection options at the Equestrian centre of the University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy (UVMP) in Košice in the years 2021 and 2022. During this time period (of 2021 and 2022), we captured 4797 biting midges. Our results showed that in 2021 the most frequently captured species were C. obsoletus/C. scoticus (prevalence 86.6 %), followed by C. punctatus and C. pulicaris (prevalence 5.37 % and 3.86 %, resp.). In addition, C. lupicaris, C. newsteadi, C. furcillatus, C. festivipennis, C. slovacus, C. tauricus, C. clastrieri, C. dewulfi, C. fagineus and C. circumscriptus were identified as the minority species. In this year, the highest abundance of these insects (1758 biting midges) was observed at the end of June. In 2022, we detected a clear dominance of C. obsoletus/C. scoticus (prevalence 97.0 %) and the highest number of biting midges (655) was captured in mid-May). In this year, the minority species included, C. pulicaris, C. punctatus and C. lupicaris. The identification of the host blood showed that man (Homo sapiens) was the dominant host, namely of 80 % of the examined biting midges of species C. obsoletus/C. scoticus, C. dewulfi, C. punctatus and C. festivipennis. In one female of species C. fagineus we identified the host blood from horses (Equus caballusi). In 2022, we detected the blood of a domestic rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in the species of C. obsoletus/C. scoticus.

Occurrence, Activity and Control Options Against Biting Midges (Diptera: <italic>Culicoides</italic>) in Horses

Department of Epizootiology, Parasitology and Protection of One Health

Folia Veterinaria

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Occurrence, Activity and Control Options Against Biting Midges (Diptera: ) in Horses

Biting midges are insects which annoy horses as they cause discomfort and by the sucking of blood, they cause painful lesions that, in certain cases, can...

Occurrence, Activity and Control Options Against Biting Midges (Diptera: Culicoides) in Horses

Publié en ligne: 03 oct. 2023

Pages: 18 - 24

Reçu: 10 juil. 2023

Accepté: 17 août 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/fv-2023-0023

Mots clés
host preference, prevalence, species composition

© 2023 Richard Pavlík et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Occurrence, Activity and Control Options Against Biting Midges (Diptera: Culicoides) in Horses

Publié en ligne: 03 oct. 2023

Pages: 18 - 24

Reçu: 10 juil. 2023

Accepté: 17 août 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/fv-2023-0023

Mots cléshost preference, prevalence, species composition

© 2023 Richard Pavlík et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Mots clés
host preference, prevalence, species composition