THE BITING MIDGE OF THE WEST HIGHLANDS - 50 YEARS OF RESEARCH

The biting midge of the West Highlands belongs to the family Ceratopog onidae and approximately 150 species are known to exist in Britain. Al l of the flies are of minute size and slender build with wings which f old over the back. The females have biting mouthparts including a need le sharp proboscis with scissor type mandibles. The males do not bite. The Ceratopogonidae devours other small insects, some feed on plant j uices, others pierce the wing veins of butterflies and some attack jui cy caterpillars. Only three genera are bloodsuckers and of these only Culicoides occurs in Britain. The members of this genus are classified by the pattern of wing venation and the spots on the wings Edwards' g ives a detailed table of these characteristics, The commonest species in Scotland is C. impunctatus, although others have been met with on S kye.