The Transmission of Haemoproteus belopolskyi (Haemosporida: Haemoproteidae) of Blackcap by Culicoides impunctatus (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

Haemoproteus belopolskyi of blackcap, Sylvia atricapilla, underwent sporogony in wild-caught female biting midges, Culicoides impunctatus, which were experimentally infected by feeding them on naturally infected birds. The engorged flies were held for 8–12 days to allow development of sporozoites and then aspirated and triturated in 0.85% saline. Seven uninfected nestlings of blackcap at the age of 20–21 days were inoculated into the pectoral muscle with 0.3 ml of the slurry containing approximately 45 sporozoites. Parasitemia of H. belopolskyi developed in 6 nestlings, with a prepatent period of 11– 12 days. The maximum parasitemia varied between 0.9 and 16% of erythrocytes in different experimental hosts. Culicoides impunctatus is an experimental vector of H. belopolskyi. It is likely to be the important natural vector of Haemoproteus spp. of passerine birds in Europe.