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Table 2 Feeding rates of Swiss Plateau Culicoides after exposure to different ratios of heparinised bovine blood to cell culture medium (DMED) in three replicates (Fisher’s exact test)

From: Vector competence of pre-alpine Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) for bluetongue virus serotypes 1, 4 and 8

Ratio

No. of Culicoides exposed to blood/engorged (%)

Mean feeding rate (%)

1:1a

69/9 (13)

14

120/8 (7)

80/14 (18)

2:1ab

86/6 (7)

19

104/26 (25)

82/17 (21)

9:1b

84/12 (14)

28

32/15 (47)

33/14 (42)

  1. Notes: Culicoides were exposed to blood meal at day 5 post-collection (after incubation for 3 days with access to 10% sucrose and 24 h starvation). The feeding device of [39] with Nescofilm as membrane was used
  2. abP = 0.003