Culicoides associated with dairy cows at Sebele, Gaborone, Botswana.

Abstract

The abundance and species composition of Culicoides collected in a light trap placed next to a herd of cows in Sebele are reported. It is the 1st report on the collection and identification of Culicoides with dairy cows in Botswana. 1566 Culicoides were caught during the month of June 1997 between 18.00 and 7.30 h. Eight species were identified and C. imicola was the most abundant with 64.44% followed by C. bolitinos (10.79%), C. pycnostictus (5.87%), C. leucostictus (4.91%), C. engubandei (2.55%), C. similis (2.26%), C. neavei, (2.17%) and C. schultzei group. High numbers were trapped on nights following warm days. The daily number of Culicoides caught was correlated with the daily minimum and maximum temperature.