Culicoidesmonitoring in Belgium in 2011: analysis of spatiotemporal abundance, species diversity and Schmallenberg virus detection

Abstract In 2011, Culicoides ( D iptera: C eratopogonidae) were collected at 16 locations covering four regions of B elgium with O nderstepoort V eterinary I nstitute ( OVI ) traps and at two locations with R othamsted suction traps ( RST s). Quantification of the collections and morphological identification showed important variations in abundance and species diversity between individual collection sites, even for sites located in the same region. However, consistently higher numbers of C ulicoides midges were collected at some sites compared with others. When species abundance and diversity were analysed at regional level, between‐site variation disappeared. Overall, species belonging to the subgenus A varitia together with C ulicoides pulicaris (subgenus C ulicoides ) were the most abundant, accounting for 80% and 96% of all midges collected with RST s and OVI traps, respectively. C ulicoides were present during most of the year, with C ulicoides obsoletus complex midges found from 9 F ebruary until 27 D ecember. Real‐time reverse‐transcription polymerase chain reaction screening for S chmallenberg virus in the heads of collected midges resulted in the first detection of the virus in A ugust 2011 and identified C . obsoletus complex, C ulicoides chiopterus and C ulicoides dewulfi midges as putative vector species. At L ibramont in the south of B elgium, no positive pools were identified.