5: The mighty midge: Research struggles and successes

Culicoides biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) are well-known pests and vectors of many viruses that can cause disease in many agricultural important host species. Midges are minute in size, can easily disperse, and rapidly reproduce. Females obtain blood meals by pool-feeding on a wide variety of hosts. To date, only two species of Culicoides (C. sonorensis and C. nubeculosus) have been colonized. Since C. sonorensis breeds rapidly in large numbers and females feed well on a broad range of blood sources, it is possible to obtain good numbers of fed females to use for research. However, working with midges is challenging as a consequence of their small size and tolerance to cold temperatures. Therefore the use of extreme measures is necessary to safely and securely study virus-Culicoides-host interactions. During the many years of experience working with midges, the Arthropod-Borne Animal Diseases Research Unit has struggled to standardize and implement novel modifications in common techniques that have led to successfully conducting Culicoides-related research. During this talk we will present an overview of the most used laboratory procedures, how the struggles have been overcome and turned into successes.