BLOOD FEEDING OF BITING MIDGES (DIPTERA: CERATOPOGONIDAE) AT KOWANYAMA, CAPE YORK PENINSULA, NORTH QUEENSLAND

Abstract

Five hundred and eighty‐five blood engorged Culicoides and seven Lasiohelea comprising nine taxa were collected mainly by truck‐trapping around sunrise and sunset in tropical savannah woodland at Kowanyama and Rutland Plains, north Queensland. Blood meal analysis by a capillary ring test showed cattle and marsupials to be the most common hosts attacked. Culicoides marksi fed on cattle, marsupials and dogs (313/79/5); C. actoni on the same hosts (35/2/1); C. smeei on birds and marsupial (44/1); C. austropalpalis on birds, cattle and marsupial (13/1/1); C. brevitarsis, Lasiohelea sp. and Culicoides sp. nr nattaiensis on cattle (9, 3, and 1); C. dycei on a marsupial (1) and Culicoides sp. nr marmoratus on marsupials and a bird (2/1).