Laboratory rearing of immature Culicoides peregrinus Kieffer, a potential vector of bluetongue virus

Culicoides peregrinus (Kieffer) (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) was reared from egg to adult using four different combinations of food and substrate ( T1 : absorbent cotton, mud broth with 2% yeast; T2 : 1% agar, mud broth with 2% yeast; T3 : absorbent cotton, nutrient broth; T4 : absorbent cotton, 2% yeast). Field‐collected engorged females exhibited mean fecundity of 82.45 ± 4.00. The highest rate of emergence and largest adults were obtained in T1 , and the lowest rate of emergence was observed in T4 . Two‐way analyses of variance with post hoc Tukey tests showed significant differences in age at pupation, pupal weight and wing length among the various treatments, although the sex ratio was 1 : 1 in all food/substrate combinations. The successful rearing of immature C. peregrinus is an encouraging step towards the establishment of a laboratory colony of this prevalent species associated with livestock.