Evaluation of a novel removal trap system to reduce biting midge (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) populations in Florida backyards.

A removal trapping method that employed individual lure-baited insect suction traps for the reduction of adult biting midges (Culicoides spp.) was evaluated in a coastal residential neighborhood of northwestern Florida during 2000. Six backyards were used in the study. Lure-baited traps consisted of one ABC PRO insect suction trap (fitted with a 30 by 30-mesh polyester screen bag) baited with carbon dioxide (500 ml/min) and a 4:1:8 mixture of 1 octen-3-ol, 3-n-propylphenol, and 4-methylphenol (5.39 +/- 0.54 mg/h) placed in each of three backyards. Lure-baited traps ran continuously during the 4-mo study. Three backyards without lure-baited traps served as controls. Adult midge populations were monitored twice weekly for 24-h in each backyard using an additional ABC PRO trap baited with carbon dioxide (500 ml/min) only. Five species of biting midges were collected from all traps in each backyard (in descending order): Culicoides mississippiensis, C. barbosai, C. melleus, C. furens, and C. hollensis. Overall reduction was not consistent in lure-baited backyards and ranged from 2.3% to 70.6% on 16 of the 30 sample dates. But when biting midge populations seasonally declined to a weekly average of < 500 midges per lure-baited trap, reduction occurred more frequently. Midge reduction did not appear to be species specific.