Abstract
Continuous entomological monitoring of Cullicoides spp., which is being conducted starting from 2014 have so far yielded significant results related to biodiversity and seasonal dynamics of these insects Serbia. The research we have done so far has contributed to mapping the geographical distribution of the species we encounter as well as the variations in the number of populations in different years. As monitoring continues, we receive new valuable data every year that will help predict the movement of these insects on the basis of biclimatograms and enable preventative action to be taken to counteract them. Unfortunately, starting in 2019, monitoring has been split into three institutions (NIVS Belgrade, NIV Novi Sad and VSI Kraljevo) so that this has lost insight into the biodiversity, sex ratio, and most importantly the age of the females that are the primary vectors. In our work, therefore, we can provide only the results of testing the biodiversity and seasonal dynamics of Cullicoides spp. during 2019 in the epizootiological area of NIVS Belgrade, VSI Šabac, VSI Pančevo, VSI Požarevac, and VSI Zaječar, while we did not divide samples from VSI Jagodina for the fourth consecutive year. Culicoides spp. from Obsoletus complexes were established at 59.91%, from the Pulicaris complex were established at 34.06% and other types of culicoids have been established in less than 10% of the examined samples.
Highlights
Continuous entomological monitoring of Culicoides spp., which started in 2014 in accordance with the Guidelines on how to conduct entomological examinations for the monitoring and control of bluetongue disease on the territory of the Republic of Serbia, has so far yielded significant results regarding biodiversity and seasonal dynamics of these insects in Serbia
Culicoides spp. from Obsoletus complex were established in 59.91% of samples, Pulicaris complex were established in 34.06% and other types of culicoides were established in less than 10% of the examined samples
Starting in 2019, the monitoring was divided between three institutes - Belgrade Institute receiving samples from central Serbia and South Banat, Novi Sad with samples from Vojvodina and Kraljevo analysing the samples from South Serbia regions, in accordance with new instructions by Veterinary Directorate, which resulted in losing an insight into biodiversity, sex ratio and most importantly age of the females that are primary vectors
Summary
Continuous entomological monitoring of Culicoides spp., which started in 2014 in accordance with the Guidelines on how to conduct entomological examinations for the monitoring and control of bluetongue disease on the territory of the Republic of Serbia, has so far yielded significant results regarding biodiversity and seasonal dynamics of these insects in Serbia. Starting in 2019, the monitoring was divided between three institutes - Belgrade Institute receiving samples from central Serbia and South Banat, Novi Sad with samples from Vojvodina and Kraljevo analysing the samples from South Serbia regions, in accordance with new instructions by Veterinary Directorate, which resulted in losing an insight into biodiversity, sex ratio and most importantly age of the females that are primary vectors. The requirement is that specimens should be slide mounted, image-captured, measured and analysed which is time-consuming and the use of morphometries for identification purposes in high-throughput systems such as surveillance programs is recommended (Weeks et al, 1999, Mathieu et al, 2012)
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