Culicoides

The Search for Bluetongue

Project Details

The Culicoides project is an ongoing project with the goal of finding and determining the population genetics of midges in the genus Culicoides. These midges could possibly be vectors of the ruminant disease commonly known as Bluetongue.
Dry ice is crushed in order to release Carbon Dioxide. This simulates ruminant respiration in order to attract the midges.
The dry ice is placed in a cooler next to the actual trap, which consists of a light to further attract insects and a net with a fan to trap them in a special holding compartment.
A battery is attached to power the light and fan overnight.
The trap is set up shortly before dusk and taken down shortly after dawn, the hours in which Culicoides are most active.

The Culicoides project is an ongoing project with the goal of finding and determining the population genetics of midges in the genus Culicoides. These midges could possibly be vectors of the ruminant disease commonly known as Bluetongue.

A man using a hammer to crush dry ice on the back of a truck bed.

Dry ice is crushed in order to release Carbon Dioxide. This simulates ruminant respiration in order to attract the midges.

A blue thermus cooler hanging in a tree next to a clear bag trap.

The dry ice is placed in a cooler next to the actual trap, which consists of a light to further attract insects and a net with a fan to trap them in a special holding compartment.

A woman connecting a battery to a light and fan in a clear bag trap hanging on a fence.

A battery is attached to power the light and fan overnight.

A clear bag trap connected to a light and fan haning on a fence next to a blue thermus cooler.

The trap is set up shortly before dusk and taken down shortly after dawn, the hours in which Culicoides are most active.