Description
Material provided: By agreement of provider and user.
Unit definition: 1 week of access
Provider country: Switzerland
Short description: Access to field sites and laboratory facilities to evaluate suitable trapping methodologies for Culicoides (biting midges). All the sites are located in Southern Switzerland at low altitudes and in the pre-alpine area (Canton of Grisons) up to 2,000 m asl. Species diversity is here observed according to latitude.
Autochthonous species of Culicoides (e.g. C.pulicaris, C. obsoletus, C. grisescens I&II, C. scoticus, C. deltus, etc.) are present here.
Specific service description:
Facility Access for surveillance Culicoides and low and high altitudes with technical assistance and/or training.
Services offered:
- Field site access with technical assistance and/or practical training for research on the surveillance of Culicoides (biting midges).
- Identification and characterisation of suitable sites for the presence of adult and larval stages of Culicoides vector species.
- Larval collection from organic substrates using flotation methodology.
- Setting up traps for collecting adult stages (CDC, BG sentinel, OVI-UV light traps)
- Collection and storage of individuals captured.
- Identification of adults using morphological and molecular (MALDI-TOF MS, PCR) tools
- Data interpretation and discussion.
Please note that for requesters from outside Europe the visa process can take four months or longer, so to be sure to apply well in advance of biting midge season.
For more information, please contact us.