Seasonal and geographical distribution of Culicoides imicola Kieffer (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in southwestern Spain.

Culicoides imicola Kieffer adults were collected in light traps weekly between August 1990 and October 1991. The species was collected at all 62 sites located in 5 provinces of the Autonomous Region of Andalucía (Spain). Culicoides imicola represented 31.7% of the total collection of Culicoides. The highest numbers of C. imicola were collected from September through November 1990 and September and October 1991. The lowest numbers were collected from December 1990 through April 1991. The presence or absence of C. imicola was related to the mean monthly minimum and maximum air temperature. Greatest numbers of C. imicola were collected at daily minimum and maximum temperatures of 18 degrees C and 38 degrees C, respectively. The relevance of this information to previous outbreaks of African horse sickness is discussed.