Observations of female and mixed sex swarming behaviour in Culicoides Latreille, 1809 (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

TY - JOUR

T1 - Observations of female and mixed sex swarming behaviour in Culicoides Latreille, 1809 (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

AU - Kirkeby, Carsten

PY - 2018/6/1

Y1 - 2018/6/1

N2 - Female swarming behaviour has rarely been described in Culicoides. Previous records of female swarms have only been described for females swarming in mixed swarms together with males. Two new observations of Culicoides swarms in Sweden are described here: A mixed swarm with females of Culicoides obsoletus/gornostaevae and males of C. gornostaevae, and a purely female swarm of C. impunctatus. Swarming behaviour can facilitate predator confusion. Swarming behaviour is therefore an evolutionary advantage that can explain mixed species swarms and purely female swarms.

AB - Female swarming behaviour has rarely been described in Culicoides. Previous records of female swarms have only been described for females swarming in mixed swarms together with males. Two new observations of Culicoides swarms in Sweden are described here: A mixed swarm with females of Culicoides obsoletus/gornostaevae and males of C. gornostaevae, and a purely female swarm of C. impunctatus. Swarming behaviour can facilitate predator confusion. Swarming behaviour is therefore an evolutionary advantage that can explain mixed species swarms and purely female swarms.

KW - biting midges

KW - Culicoides gornostaevae

KW - Culicoides impunctatus

KW - Culicoides obsoletus

KW - female swarming

KW - mixed swarming

U2 - 10.2478/pjen-2018-0014

DO - 10.2478/pjen-2018-0014

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85049121559

SN - 2299-9884

VL - 87

SP - 191

EP - 197

JO - Polish Journal of Entomology

JF - Polish Journal of Entomology

IS - 2

ER -