Ecologie et distribution des espèces de Culicoides Latreille 1809 (Diptera : Ceratopogonidae) à proximité d’une exploitation bovine en Belgique

Bluetongue is a non-contagious disease that affects domestic and wild ruminants. Since its spreading to Northern Europe in 2006, this viral epizooty caused considerable economical losses on the ovine and bovine livestock. The biological vectors of the bluetongue virus (BTV) are biting midges belonging to the genus Culicoides. Many elements still remain unknown about their biology, physiology, ecology and distribution. This study shows that these biting midges are much more abundant on farm level than in the nearby meadows; these last ones nevertheless present a much more specifi c diversity. So possibility of migration between the meadow and the farm is voiced for the C. chiopterus and C. dewulfi species. Females are much more represented than males for the farm and the meadow alike. The physiology observation of these ones is realized throughout the study.