Medical and Veterinary Entomology最新文献

{"title":"In vitro anti-tick effect of Eucalyptus globulus oil and its nano-emulsion against unfed adults of the brown dog tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (Acari: Ixodidae).","authors":"Eman A Abo Talep, Magdy M Fahmy, Sobhy Abdel-Shafy, Fathalla Ayoob, Nisreen E Mahmoud, Eman I Hassanen, Mai Abuowarda","doi":"10.1111/mve.70032","DOIUrl":"10.1111/mve.70032","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Rhipicephalus sanguineus Latreille (Ixodida: Ixodidae) has an economic impact as it is a blood-feeding ectoparasite transmitting numerous pathogens to humans and animals. The present study evaluated the acaricidal effect of eucalyptus essential oil (EO) with the concentrations (40%, 30%, 20%, 10%, 5% and 2.5%), eucalyptus nano-emulsion (ENE) with the concentrations (30%, 20%, 15%, 10%, 5%, and 2.5%), ENE combined with silver nanoparticles (ENE & SNPs) with the concentrations (5%, 4%, 3%, 2% and 1%) and SNPs with the concentrations (5%, 4%, 3%, 2% and 1%) on unfed adults of R. sanguineus sensu lato using the adult immersion test. There were two controls, one with tween 80 and the other without tween 80, while Bravecto® was used as an acaricidal reference. The nanoformulations were analysed by particle size, UV-visible spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The mortality of treated R. sanguineus was recorded daily for 7 days. The mortality of ENE and SNPs, EO and SNPs at 7 days was 96.6%, 90% and 80%, at concentrations of 5%, 40% and 5%, respectively. The lethal concentration to 50% mortality (LC₅₀) of EO, ENE, ENE and SNPs, and SNPs at 7 days was 6.65, 9.49, 2.23 and 4.08%, respectively. The particle size of nanoformulations was (83.08, 10.59 and 223.4 nm) for ENE, a mixture of SNPs, and ENE and SNPs, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy of treated adult R. sanguineus revealed numerous alterations in aeropyles of spiracular plates, anal grooves and mouthparts. The histopathological examination of the treated adult R. sanguineus showed degeneration in the cuticle, midgut and salivary gland. These findings demonstrate that eucalyptus oil could be used as part of an integrated pest management program for the control of R. sanguineus.</p>","PeriodicalId":18350,"journal":{"name":"Medical and Veterinary Entomology","volume":" ","pages":"323-338"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145573503","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The migratory behaviour of salt marsh mosquitoes: Revisiting the evidence.","authors":"Christopher M Jones, Don R Reynolds, Nadja C Wipf, Jason W Chapman, Tovi Lehmann","doi":"10.1111/mve.70021","DOIUrl":"10.1111/mve.70021","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":18350,"journal":{"name":"Medical and Veterinary Entomology","volume":" ","pages":"215-220"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145355314","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Shrubs and trees as natural insect protection for grazing animals in Switzerland and the alpine region: A systematic review of in vitro, in vivo and clinical trials.","authors":"Theresa Schlittenlacher, Sofie Egli, Michael Walkenhorst, Veronika Maurer","doi":"10.1111/mve.70030","DOIUrl":"10.1111/mve.70030","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Insect infestation in grazing animals is an increasing problem due to factors such as global warming and increasing resistance to insecticides, which have a direct impact on animal health and welfare. According to reports from farmers, observations in zoopharmacognosy and the ingredients of commercial insecticides, various indigenous trees and shrubs with an insecticidal or repellent effect grow or can be planted on pastures. The aim of our systematic review (designed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement) was to identify perennial woody plants from Switzerland and the wider alpine region with a potential to affect the most common dipteran insects that are relevant for grazing animals. Based on a preselection of 399 plants, 114 publications including 403 laboratory and 10 outdoor experiments were found. Essential oils were evaluated most frequently (326 experiments), followed by extracts (118 experiments). Most frequently investigated were the aromatic herbs (Lamiales: Lamiaceae) Thymus vulgaris L., Rosmarinus officinalis Spenner, Lavandula angustifolia Miller, Salvia officinalis L., and the trees Punica granatum L. (Myrtales: Lythraceae), Laurus nobilis L. (Laurales: Lauraceae), Pinus pinea L. (Pinales: Pinaceae), Juniperus communis L. (Cupressales: Cupressaceae), Olea europaea L. (Lamiales: Oleaceae) and Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertner (Fagales: Betulaceae). These were studied for their effect (repellent, larvicidal, adulticidal) on mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae; Aedes spp., Anopheles spp., Culex spp.), and flies (Musca domestica L. (Diptera: Muscidae), and Lucilia sericata Meigen (Diptera: Calliphoridae)). The results concerning repellent or insecticidal effects provide valuable information about which trees and shrubs should be tested in future outdoor studies involving grazing animals.</p>","PeriodicalId":18350,"journal":{"name":"Medical and Veterinary Entomology","volume":" ","pages":"221-245"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13140039/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145550001","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Walking locomotion in Triatoma infestans: An approach that explores the relationships between leg morphometry and locomotor activity.","authors":"Juan José Gilardoni, Julieta Nattero, María Laura Hernández, Gastón Mougabure-Cueto","doi":"10.1111/mve.70046","DOIUrl":"10.1111/mve.70046","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The active dispersal of triatomines has great epidemiological importance as it constitutes the main mechanism of colonization and reinfestation. Walking dispersal and its locomotor system have been little studied in triatomines. The aim of this study was to characterize the locomotor activity of fifth-instar nymphs of T. infestans and link it to morphometric characteristics of the body, legs and their articles. For locomotor activity, each insect was placed on a circular arena and was filmed while walking freely for 10 min. The variables analysed were distance travelled (TD), movement time (TM) and effective speed (ES). Photographs were then taken of the body, the right legs and their articles, and morphometric tools were used to obtain linear, size and shape metrics. On average, a nymph walked 470 cm and moved for 5 min at an ES of 98 cm/min. Positive correlations were observed for TD-TM and TD-ES. Body and leg lengths correlated mainly with ES. Linear measurements showed the same pattern for each leg: TD correlated with femur and tibia length, and coxa width; TM did not show correlation; and ES correlated with femur and meron length, and coxa width. Size variables showed different associations for each leg. Shape variables revealed the associations of the meron with TD for foreleg and of the femur with TD for mid and hind leg. The locomotor activity of fifth-instar nymphs of T. infestans was highly variable in time and distance, with a relatively constant speed. The results suggest that linear dimensions are not linked to the function of each leg, but rather the size and shape of the articles. Thus, the specific function of the foreleg during walking would be linked to the size and shape of its proximal part, while that of the hind leg would be linked to the size and shape of its distal part. Our results provide a solid understanding of how the form of the locomotor structures is linked to walking performance.</p>","PeriodicalId":18350,"journal":{"name":"Medical and Veterinary Entomology","volume":" ","pages":"396-406"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145857098","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Detection and response to Haemaphysalis longicornis and Theileria orientalis Ikeda on a cow-calf farm in Tennessee (USA).","authors":"Katy V Smith, Jennifer G Chandler, Rebecca A Butler, Whitnie Smartt, Samantha Beaty, Rebecca T Trout Fryxell","doi":"10.1111/mve.70043","DOIUrl":"10.1111/mve.70043","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Bovine theileriosis is a vector-borne disease poised to become one of the most economically significant diseases of cattle in the United States. The hemoparasite Theileria orientalis Ikeda genotype causes bovine theileriosis (Piroplasmida: Theileriidae), which is primarily transmitted by Haemaphysalis longicornis Neumann (Acari: Ixodidae) (longhorned tick, Asian longhorned tick). Since its initial detection in New Jersey in 2017, H. longicornis has rapidly spread to 24 states and Washington, DC, as of July 2025. Given the exotic and invasive nature of this vector and its unique biological characteristics, cattle producers face a lack of effective management guidelines. This study documents our first response to a T. orientalis Ikeda-positive herd in Maury County, Tennessee (USA). Before our arrival and detection of H. longicornis on the property, we advised the producer to maintain a closed herd, use on-animal chemical control, and reduce overgrown vegetation. Upon arrival, we identified sampling areas where cattle primarily resided or previously had been and targeted these areas using timed tick dragging methods, checking the drag for ticks every 10 meters for a mean of 352 min per visit (~6 h). Collections occurred once in July 2022 and every other week in 2023 (June-November). In total, 166 H. longicornis larvae and 45 nymphs were collected. Nymphs were screened for T. orientalis, and 4.5% (2/44) were positive for T. orientalis Ikeda a year after the herd was initially confirmed positive. This study contributes to the long-term goal of developing first response plans for farms facing H. longicornis infestations and bovine theileriosis infections, thereby limiting the spread of this tick and pathogen.</p>","PeriodicalId":18350,"journal":{"name":"Medical and Veterinary Entomology","volume":" ","pages":"455-461"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145763311","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Potential vectors of Leishmaniases in the Environmental Protection Area and Tinguá Federal Biological Reserve, Municipality of Nova Iguaçu, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.","authors":"Antônio L F Santana, Alfredo C R Azevedo, Margarete M S Afonso, Bruno M Carvalho, Vanessa R Vieira, Simone M Costa, Júlia S Silva, Thais A Pereira, Daniela P Pereira, Maurício L Vilela","doi":"10.1111/mve.70031","DOIUrl":"10.1111/mve.70031","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Leishmaniases are zoonotic diseases with outbreaks influenced by environmental factors that can alter their epidemiological profiles. They are transmitted to humans and other vertebrates through the bite of a female phlebotomine infected with parasites of the Leishmania genus. The aim of this study was to conduct an entomological survey of the phlebotomine fauna to determine the distribution of potential vectors of leishmaniases, as well as to diagnose Leishmania spp. and evaluate food content. A sample study on potential leishmaniases vectors was conducted in an Environmental Protection Area (EPA) and Tinguá Federal Biological Reserve (TFBR), Nova Iguaçu municipality, in Rio de Janeiro State. Light traps were used to collect insects in the two study areas from September 2019 to March 2020. The data were obtained from six monitoring stations (MSs): MS₁, MS₂ and MS₃ (EPA), and MS₄, MS₅ and MS₆ (TFBR). Traps were installed in intradomicile, peridomicile, and residual forests in the EPA, while they were set up in wild animal burrows and rock formations in the TFBR. Phlebotomine samples (Diptera, Psychodidae) obtained from different MS'_s were used to estimate the standardized index of species abundance (SISA), diagnose specimens as Leishmania spp., and analyse the blood food content of the female sand flies. Seven primary or potential vectors were detected in relation to the total number of collected sand flies. These included Nyssomyia intermedia in the intradomicile, peridomicile, and residual forests of the EPA. This species was not detected in the TFBR, but other potential vectors were observed in both areas. During the diagnosis of Leishmania spp. in the sand flies, one specimen of Psychodopygus hirsutus hirsutus was positive for Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis in the peridomicile (MS₃). A specimen of Psychodopygus davisi was observed feeding on Tamandua tetradactyla in MS₅ (TFBR), a potential reservoir of Leishmania. The presence of primary vectors, potential vectors, L. (V.) braziliensis, and a natural reservoir indicated the possible existence of a sylvatic and domestic transmission cycle in the American tegumentary leishmaniasis region.</p>","PeriodicalId":18350,"journal":{"name":"Medical and Veterinary Entomology","volume":" ","pages":"246-259"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13140010/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145541239","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Morphological and molecular analyses unveil phenotypic polymorphism in hairy maggots of the genus Chrysomya.","authors":"Natasha Azmi Nur-Aliah, Van Lun Low, Anabel Martínez-Sánchez, Tania Ivorra, Chong Chin Heo","doi":"10.1111/mve.70050","DOIUrl":"10.1111/mve.70050","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Some species of the genus Chrysomya, known as hairy maggot blowflies (Diptera: Calliphoridae), are medically and forensically important insects worldwide. However, identifying these species can be challenging due to morphological characteristics overlapping. In this study, we investigated morphological and molecular differences among three hairy maggot blowflies: Chrysomya rufifacies Macquart, 1843, Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann, 1819), which are widely distributed throughout the Old World, respectively; and Chrysomya villeneuvi Patton, 1922, which is restricted to Asia. Morphological analysis revealed overlapping characters in larval and adult stages of C. rufifacies and C. albiceps based on traditional diagnostic characters, confirming phenotypic polymorphism in both species. Due to the global spread of these species, likely by human activity and climate change, a morphological and phylogenetic investigation was underway. A revision of the established morphological keys was proposed, and the phylogenetic analysis supported a sister relationship among the three species, with C. rufifacies more closely related to C. albiceps (genetic distances of 2.42%-3.13%) than to C. villeneuvi (3.49%-4.40%). Notably, C. albiceps differed from C. villeneuvi (3.31%-3.48%), suggesting that C. albiceps, occupies an intermediate evolutionary position between C. rufifacies and C. villeneuvi.</p>","PeriodicalId":18350,"journal":{"name":"Medical and Veterinary Entomology","volume":" ","pages":"441-454"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146052928","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A novel real-time PCR for New World screwworm fly (Cochliomyia hominivorax) and its application in a non-destructive multiplex for efficient detection of screwworm flies.","authors":"Luke Driver, Leanne Nelson, Natalie Leo, Verna Monsanto-Hearne, Anna Smyth, Benjamin Genge, Pablo Fresia, Anderson Saravia, Catherine Covacin, Darren Underwood","doi":"10.1111/mve.70037","DOIUrl":"10.1111/mve.70037","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Surveillance and diagnostics are critical for the early detection, containment and eradication of exotic pests. For the screwworm fly, this is usually via targeted surveillance and exclusion testing of trap-caught flies, as well as the identification of larvae associated with myiasis wounds. We present a specific and sensitive real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for the detection of the New World screwworm fly, Cochliomyia hominivorax Coquerel (Diptera: Calliphoridae). The assay targets the cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene from adult flies or larvae and retains high analytical sensitivity when multiplexed with an existing assay for the Old World screwworm fly, Chrysomya bezziana Villeneuve (Diptera: Calliphoridae), achieving a limit of detection of less than 1 copy per microlitre of reaction. To assess its utility for surveillance and diagnostics, a novel non-destructive DNA extraction method was performed on spiked trap catches of field-caught flies, and on boiled and unboiled specimens of larval instars. The multiplexed assay detected 95% of spiked flies, and all screwworm flies from positive samples were retrieved and morphologically identified. Results from larval instars confirmed that the assay can be used for larvae, with higher sensitivity observed for unboiled larval instars. This molecular assay enables the simultaneous detection of Co. hominivorax and Ch. bezziana, offering a reliable alternative to existing single-target and destructive methods of bulk fly testing. It also holds potential for broader application in the identification of larval stages.</p>","PeriodicalId":18350,"journal":{"name":"Medical and Veterinary Entomology","volume":" ","pages":"339-349"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145596865","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Investigation of the global transportation of Culicoides biting midges, vectors of livestock and equid arboviruses, from flower-packing plants in Kenya.","authors":"Jessica Eleanor Stokes, Karien Labuschagne, Eric Maurice Fèvre, Matthew Baylis","doi":"10.1111/mve.70016","DOIUrl":"10.1111/mve.70016","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In recent decades there has been a huge increase in the export of cut flowers from countries in Africa and elsewhere to European flower markets, with the vast majority first entering the Netherlands for local use or for export. Coincidentally, three significant livestock disease outbreaks caused by viruses associated with Africa or other tropical regions were first detected in the Netherlands (bluetongue virus serotype 8 (BTV-8), 2006, and BTV-3, 2023) and in western Germany about 200 km from the Netherlands border (Schmallenberg virus, SBV, 2011). This study aimed to determine whether Culicoides biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), the vectors of BTV and SBV, are present within flower-packaging plants in East Africa, and therefore whether Culicoides could be unknowingly exported during the shipping of cut flowers. Field sampling was undertaken at a flower-packaging facility in Kenya, East Africa. The facility undertook all stages of cut flower production from maintaining rootstock through to packaging and shipping to an airport for international export. Trapping was undertaken at each stage of production (rootstock, propagation, inside growing greenhouses, in the packing-house, inside cold-storage rooms, during transportation) using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Light Emitting Diode (LED) light traps. Hand-held aspirators were used to obtain individual insects directly from flowers and around composting sites, while emergence traps studied insect emergence from compost, leaf litter and flowers discarded at quality control checkpoints. A maximum nightly catch of 269 Culicoides was identified on a half-acre smallholding, containing 15 ruminants and 40 birds, located 20 m from the nearest greenhouse. The greatest numbers of Culicoides were trapped at a pond (n = 23) and leaf-litter compost site (n = 19) within the curtilage of the flower-packaging plant. Of the seven greenhouses sampled, three had Culicoides trapped overnight (mean = 4, range: 1-9), and no Culicoides were trapped in the propagation units. No Culicoides were trapped in the pack house, cold-store, or during transportation of the flowers to the airport for shipment. No Culicoides emerged from emergence traps or were trapped when aspirating directly from flowers. This is the first study to investigate whether Culicoides are present within flower packaging plants in Africa. The results highlight that although present in small numbers both outside and within greenhouses, the presence of Culicoides declined with each stage of production. Therefore, the risk of exporting Culicoides with packaged cut flowers is non-zero but likely very small.</p>","PeriodicalId":18350,"journal":{"name":"Medical and Veterinary Entomology","volume":" ","pages":"260-267"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13140018/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145244818","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Blackflies (Diptera: Simuliidae) as vectors of avian blood parasites, with the first record of two new vector species in Lithuania.","authors":"Germán Alfredo Gutiérrez Liberato, Rasa Bernotienė, Kristina Valavičiūtė-Pocienė, Margarita Kazak, Dovilė Bukauskaitė, Rasa Binkienė, Carolina Romeiro Fernandes Chagas","doi":"10.1111/mve.70033","DOIUrl":"10.1111/mve.70033","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Blackflies (Diptera: Simuliidae) are notable for their painful bites and are significant vectors for various pathogens, posing risks to human and animal health. They are known vectors of several avian parasites such as Leucocytozoon Berestnev (Haemosporida: Leucocytozoidae), Trypanosoma Gruby (Trypanosomatida: Trypanosomatidae) and filarioid nematodes (Nematoda: Onchocercidae). However, the prevalence of infections and vector competence for different species remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated wild-caught blackflies across various sites in Lithuania for their role as vectors of avian blood parasites, specifically Leucocytozoon, Trypanosoma, and filarioid nematodes, using microscopical analysis and molecular methods. A total of 229 female blackflies were collected, representing at least 10 species, with Simulium lineatum Meigen, S. equinum L. and S. maculatum Meigen being the most prevalent. Notably, S. cryophilum Rubtsov and S. rubzovianum Petrova were reported for the first time in Lithuania. Salivary glands or midgut of eight individuals were microscopically positive for parasites; Leucocytozoon sporozoites were the most common parasite stage (n=7), but trypanosomatid parasites were also detected (n=3). PCR analysis confirmed nine samples positive for at least one parasite, with Leucocytozoon detected in six samples, indicating the potential vector competence of S. cryophilum, S. rubzovianum, and S. aureum Fries. Trypanosoma avium Danilewsky and Trypanosoma theileri group Laveran, as well as monoxenous trypanosomatid Crithidia brevicula Frolov & Malysheva (Trypanosomatida: Trypanosomatidae), were detected. Splendidofilaria mavis Leiper (Nematoda: Onchocercidae) was also detected in blackflies. One specimen of S. cryophilum was positive for all three parasite genera, indicating the importance of this blackfly species in the transmission of avian parasites. This study adds new insights into the transmission dynamics of avian parasites among blackflies in Lithuania, highlighting the need for further research to explore ecological factors influencing vector competence and the epidemiology of avian blood parasites. These findings contribute to the understanding of blackfly-parasite relationships and underscore the necessity for targeted monitoring of avian blood parasites in changing ecological landscapes.</p>","PeriodicalId":18350,"journal":{"name":"Medical and Veterinary Entomology","volume":" ","pages":"294-304"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145564310","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}