Natural sugar-source associations of Culicoides biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in a Kansas tallgrass prairie

Authors: MARKWARDT, CHIP - Kansas State University; OLDS, CASSANDRA - Kansas State University; Shults, Phillip; McGregor, Bethany

Submitted to: Journal of Medical Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/3/2026
Publication Date: 5/6/2026
Citation: Markwardt, C.F., Olds, C., Shults, P.T., McGregor, B.L. 2026. Natural sugar-source associations of Culicoides biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in a Kansas tallgrass prairie. Journal of Medical Entomology. 63: tjag065. https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjag065.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjag065

Interpretive Summary: Biting midges are known for their painful bites that facilitate the spread of diseases to animals and humans, however they must also feed on sugar to fuel energetically costly behaviors like flight. While sugar feeding is an important ecological behavior that can be used to target midges for surveillance and control, we lack information on which sugar resources midges are actually feeding on in nature. Using molecular methods, we found that biting midges fed on a variety of plant families, including those that contain plants like junipers, nightshades, and amaranths. We also found evidence that midges are likely feeding on multiple sugar sources regularly. This information can be used to better tailor control strategies that target sugar feeding behavior, increasing the likelihood of controlling midges while decreasing the likelihood of impacting non-target organisms like pollinators.

Technical Abstract: Culicoides Latreille is a diverse genus of approximately 1,300 species of small biting flies found across the globe, containing numerous species of medical and veterinary importance. Many diseases associated with Culicoides have no specific treatment or vaccine, necessitating prevention through vector control. Current surveillance and control methods are limited by a lack of ecological knowledge about most Culicoides species, including phytophagous (sugar-feeding) behavior. The plants fed on by wild Culicoides are largely unknown, as are the driving forces behind selection of specific plants. To determine which plants midges are sugar-feeding on in nature, Culicoides were collected from five sites within a tallgrass prairie ecosystem in northeastern Kansas. Molecular sugar meal analysis was performed to detect plant DNA within field-collected midges. DNA was extracted from a total of 788 biting midge individuals, with 321 (40.7%) of these successfully amplifying and just 78 (9.9%) producing a sequence with a successful host match. Most matches were only identified to the plant family level with high confidence. Culicoides were found to feed on a diverse assemblage of families, including the Amaranthaceae, Cupressaceae, Solanaceae, and Verbenaceae; however, no significant association was found between Culicoides species and plant family. These results suggest that multiple sugar sources, including plant nectar and fruit, are utilized by biting midges under natural conditions. This information is vital for improving ecologically based control strategies, such as attractive toxic sugar baits, that can reduce disease burden on livestock and wildlife.