midge
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(mĭj) 
n.
n.
- Any of various gnatlike flies of the family Chironomidae, found worldwide and frequently occurring in swarms near ponds and lakes.
- Any of various similar dipteran insects, such as the biting midges of the family Ceratopogonidae.
- A little person.
[Middle English, from Old English mycg.]
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Midge (Chironomidae) (credit: N.A. Callow/EB Inc.)
Midge (Chironomidae) (credit: N.A. Callow/EB Inc.)
For more information on midge, visit Britannica.com.
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midge
midge, name for any of numerous minute, fragile flies in several families. The family Chironomidae consists of about 2,000 species, most of which are widely distributed. The herbivorous larvae are found in all freshwaters; the larvae of some species live in saltwater. Midge larvae are an important source of food for larger aquatic insects and fish. The larvae of some species of the genus Chironomus, which are called freshwater bloodworms, are unusual in that they contain the protein hemoglobin. The pupae are active and aquatic. The adults, which look like slender mosquitoes, are often seen swarming over or near water, and large courting and mating swarms may contain millions of insects. The larvae and pupae of the net-wing midges, family Blepharoceridae, live in fast-flowing freshwater; they attach to rocks by suction disks and feed mainly on algae. The biting midges belong to the genus Culicoides of the family Ceratopogonidae; they are the smallest of the bloodsucking insects and are common pests in the NE United States, where they are called punkies, sand flies, and no-see-ums. The adults have mouthparts that pierce and suck and inflict irritating bites on humans; some species ride the wings of dragonflies and lacewings, sucking the blood of their hosts. Gall midges, family Cecidomyiidae, damage many plants by causing formation of plant galls in which the larvae live (see gnat). Midges are classified in the phylum Arthropoda, class Insecta, order Diptera.
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categories related to 'midge'
- Insects and arachnids
- Fishing Equipment and Tackle - midge: mosquitolike insect whose larvae are used as bait for trout in streams and mountain lakes
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Look up midge in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. |
For other uses, see Midge (disambiguation).
| Midges | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| A biting midge feeding on blood through an artificial membrane for insect rearing | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Diptera |
| Suborder: | Nematocera |
Midges comprise many kinds of very small two-winged flies found world-wide. The term does not encapsulate a well-defined taxonomic group, but includes animals in several families of Nematoceran Diptera. While some midges are vectors for disease, many others play useful roles as prey items for insectivores, such as frogs. The habits of midges vary greatly among the component families, which include:[1]
- Blephariceridae, net-winged midges
- Cecidomyiidae, gall midges
- Ceratopogonidae, biting midges (also known as no-see-ums or punkies in North America)
- Chaoboridae, phantom midges
- Chironomidae, non-biting midges (also known as muffleheads in the Great Lakes region of North America)
- Deuterophlebiidae, mountain midges
- Dixidae, meniscus midges
- Scatopsidae, dung midges
- Thaumaleidae, solitary midges
Disease-spreading midges
The Ceratopogonidae (biting midges) include serious blood-sucking pests, feeding both on humans and other mammals. Some of them spread the livestock diseases Blue Tongue and African Horse Sickness – other species however are at least partly nectar feeders and some actually suck insect bodily fluids.[2]
Most other midge families are not bloodsuckers, but it is not possible to generalise rigidly because of the vagueness of the term "midge". There is for example no objective basis for excluding the Psychodidae from the list, and some of them (or midge-like taxa commonly included in the family, such as Phlebotomus) are blood-sucking pests and disease vectors.
Most midges, apart from the gall midges (Cecidomyiidae), are aquatic during the larval stage. Some Cecidomyiidae (e.g., the sorghum midge) are significant plant pests. The larvae of some Chironomidae contain haemoglobin and are sometimes referred to as bloodworms.[3]
See also
References
- ^ Merritt, R.W., and Cummins, K.W. (eds.), 1996. An Introduction to the Aquatic Insects of North America. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company.
- ^ Alan Weaving; Mike Picker; Griffiths, Charles Llewellyn (2003). Field Guide to Insects of South Africa. New Holland Publishers, Ltd. ISBN 1-86872-713-0.
- ^ Walker, I. R. 2001. Midges: Chironomidae and related Diptera. pp. 43-66, In: J. P. Smol, H. J. B. Birks, and W. M. Last (eds). Tracking Environmental Change Using Lake Sediments. Volume 4. Zoological Indicators. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht.
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This article related to members of the insect order Diptera (true flies) is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
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Translations:
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Midge
Dansk (Danish)
n. - myggeagtigt insekt, dansemyg
Français (French)
n. - moucheron
Português (Portuguese)
n. - pessoa pequena (f)
Español (Spanish)
n. - mosca enana
Svenska (Swedish)
n. - (fjäder)mygga, kryp
中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
蚊, 侏儒
中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 蚊, 侏儒
日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 小虫, ユスリカ, ちび助
العربيه (Arabic)
(الاسم) حشرة, صغير
עברית (Hebrew)
n. - יבחוש, זבובון, יתוש, אדם קטן
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