There are currently 109 genera of Ceratopogonidae grouping the more than 6,300 named species and their classification is based on an understanding of their evolutionary relationships (see publication #144). Such evolutionary trees (called phylogenies) provide… Read More »Classification and Identification
The biting midges are an extremely diverse group, with 6346 species presently named worldwide. As for so many insect families, the number of described species is only a fraction of what is actually present in… Read More »How Many Species are out There?
There are numerous reasons to study biting midges. Primarily, in a world where we have become acutely aware that natural environments are under huge duress and that species are becoming extinct at an unprecedented rate,… Read More »Why study Biting Midges?
Morphology and Taxonomy of biting midges: Blanton, F.S. and W.W. Wirth. 1979. The sand flies (Culicoides) of Florida (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae). Arthropods of Florida and Neighboring Land Areas 10, xv + 204 pp. Boorman, J. 1997. 2.21… Read More »References Useful in Understanding More About Biting Midges
As is true in most areas of science, we understand far less about ceratopogonids than we actually do know about them. This webpage provides some of the basics of what we do know but, as… Read More »Future Research
Adult biting midges may collected by any of the following techniques: 1. Sweeping vegetation, especially in wet habitats, and aspirating the adults from the net. This provides a good method to sample diverse habitats. 2.… Read More »How to Capture and Study Biting Midges
Like other holometabolous insects, Ceratopogonidae have four distinct life stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult. The larvae go through four instars (they shed their skin four times) before becoming pupae. In colder regions, it is… Read More »How and Where do Biting Midges Live?
There are several important roles which biting midges play in ecosystems. As larvae, many are predators in aquatic and semiaquatic habitats where they can occur in very large numbers. The most speciose group, those in… Read More »Biting Midges as Beneficial
There are a number of strategies which can be used to fend off the effects of biting midges. When outdoors, the most effective under any circumstances is the use of DEET (which works well for… Read More »Protecting Oneself from Biting Midges
Anyone with any significant outdoor experience knows that biting midges can be terribly annoying. They may occur in huge numbers (often just 1 or 2 species) in places where there is appropriate and abundant habitat… Read More »Biting Midges as Pests