Sticky-trapping biting midges (Culicoides spp.) alighting on cattle and sheep: effects of trap colour and evidence for host preference

Sticky traps were mounted on heifers and sheep to assess Culicoides spp. (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) host preference. Initially, four coloured 200-cm² sticky traps (white, clear, yellow and blue) were attached to the backs of each of ten Friesian heifers that were released into open pasture for 24 h, repeated on six occasions. More Obsoletus group Culicoides were caught on the white and clear traps than on the yellow and blue. Trap position on the right or left flank also affected midge catch, probably due to heifer orientation in the field. Next, six Friesian heifers and six Charollais hoggets each had one clear and one white sticky strap attached to their backs for one 24-h period per week, repeated for 24 weeks. Overall, Obsoletus group Culicoides comprised 91.8 % (n = 5, 955) of the midge catch but there was no evidence of host preference, either discounting or including host live weight in the analyses. However, Pulicaris group Culicoides did demonstrate a significant host preference for sheep, providing that the analysis was adjusted for live weight. On heifers, the Pulicaris group comprised 7.5 % of biting midges caught, whereas on hoggets, it comprised 12.7 %.