Natural Enemies of Blackflies and Midges
Entomopoxvirus
An entomopoxvirus (EPV) was first discovered infecting chironomids by Goetz et al. (1969) in the larvae of
Chironomus luridus
in open basins near Freiburg, Germany. The virus has since been reported from midges in Texas, Florida, and California as well as other areas or the world. Related pox viruses have been described from other orders of insects. Those EPVs infected dipterans are classified as Entomopoxvirus C. This group has not been well studied.
Field collected larvae of the
Chironomus decorus
complex infected with an Entomopoxvirus
(Click on thumb nail images to see a larger version with explanation.)
Chironomid larvae infected with the Entomopoxvirus
Light Microscopic examination reveals a infected cells in the hemolymph of the host.
Examination of isolation infected material reveals a large variance in the size of inclusion bodies (IBs).
First instar larvae fed on a high concentration of inclusion bodies (IBs).
Transmission Electron microscopy shows that mature virions are typically embedded within the proteinaceous viral inclusion body structure.
Habitats where epizootic outbreaks of EPV occurred in midge larvae.
Natural Enemies Page
Last modified 6 September 2010
