Some biting midges are able to transmit viruses that cause diseases in animals, particularly livestock. This talk will describe the ecology of these midges and how we can identify them. We will focus on the UK and northern Europe and explain how these areas are affected by the diseases carried by biting midges, and how these threats have increased in the last couple of decades.

Dr Marion England is research fellow in Vector Ecology at The Pirbright Institute. Her research focuses on understanding the ecology of disease vectors, particularly biting midges, and how global change will impact arboviral threats. She leads the UK Culicoides Reference Laboratory which conducts surveillance of midges across the UK.

entoLIVE is delivered by the Biological Recording Company, British Entomological & Natural History Society, Royal Entomological Society and Amateur Entomologists’ Society, with support from Buglife and the Field Studies Council.