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Biting Midges-Current Knowledge and Research Needs Symposium II

Biting Midges-Current Knowledge and Research Needs Symposium II

234 - Evaluating Ultra-low Volume Application Procedures and Insecticide Droplet Penetration for Controlling Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in Brunswick, GA

Thursday, March 26, 2026

11:00 AM - 11:15 AM PDT

Location: B119

Presenter(s)

Peter Obenauer, PhD

Technical and Training Mgr
Vector Disease Control International, Tennessee, United States

Co-Author(s)

Caroline Efstathion Card, n/a

VDCI, Florida, United States
Broox Boze, n/a

Technical Director
Vector Disease Control International, Louisiana, United States

Abstract: Biting midges (Culicoides) are hematophagous flies well-known for their painful bites, subsequent skin irritations and are known vectors of blue tongue virus and vesicular stomatitis in animals. More importantly, Oropouche virus disease is transmitted to humans through the bite of Culicoides paraenesis. Oropouche virus is considered an emerging disease that is rapidly spreading throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Our study aimed at determining if Ultra-Low Volume (ULV) application using two insecticides labeled for mosquito control was effective at achieving 80% mortality against wild caught Culicoides in semi-field cage trials in Southeastern Georgia. Moreover, three different sized screened cages were evaluated to determine if ULV droplets penetrated the inside cage without impediment. Adult Culicoides were collected from May to October 2025 using CDC light traps baited with dry ice. Cages containing adults were placed at 100, 200 and 300 ft from the ULV truck-mounted sprayer and mortality was measured at 20, 40, 60 min post exposure. Results demonstrate ULV droplets were unaffected by screen size and 80% mortality was achieved after 20 min. The findings support the broader adoption of cage trials as a standardized method for efficacy testing and guiding best practices for controlling adult Culicoides and broader mosquito control programs.