Résumé
The emergence and massive spread of bluetongue in Western Europe in 2006-2008 had disastrous consequences on sheep and cattle production and revealed the unexpected ability of European Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) to transmit the virus. Some aspects of Culicoides bio-ecology, especially host-seeking and feeding behaviours, remain unclear due to the difficulty to catch Culicoides directly on animal baited, the most reliable method to evaluate biting rates. Our aim was to compare reference animal-baited traps (drop trap and direct aspiration) to both gold standard surveillance method (OVI light trap) and a new sticky cover trap in order to determine their relevance. Collections were carried out during the 3 hours surrounding sunset in June/July 2009 in an experimental station (INRA, Nouzilly, western France), with 3 replicates of a 4 sites/4 traps randomized Latin square. Species were morphologically identified; sex and female physiological stages were recorded. Sibling species were identified using molecular tools. A total of 648 Culicoides belonging to 18 species was collected. Abundance and diversity were maximal with the drop trap (241 females and 4 males from 11 species) and the mini-light trap (194 females and 8 males from 16 species) and equivalent between the direct aspiration and the sticky cover (87 females from 6 species and 114 females from 8 species, both without male). The difference between sites illustrated the local variability in adult abundance and diversity. Trapping method comparison will help to develop appropriate protocols for a better understanding of Culicoides bio-ecology.