Midge


A midge is any small fly, including species in several families of non-mosquito Nematoceran Diptera. Midges are found on practically every land area outside permanently arid deserts and the frigid zones. Some midges, such as many Phlebotominae and Simuliidae, are vectors of various diseases. Many others play useful roles as prey items for insectivores, such as various frogs and swallows. Others are important as detritivores, participating in various nutrient cycles. The habits of midges vary greatly from species to species, though within any particular family, midges commonly have similar ecological roles.
Examples of families that include species of midges include:
The Ceratopogonidae 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 though, are at least partly nectar feeders, and some even suck insect bodily fluids.
Most other midge families are 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 are blood-sucking pests and disease vectors.
Most midges, apart from the gall midges, are aquatic during the larval stage. Some Cecidomyiidae are significant plant pests. The larvae of some Chironomidae contain haemoglobin and are sometimes referred to as bloodworms.
Non-biting midge flies are a common minor nuisance around man-made bodies of water.
One type of midge is a major pollinator of Theobroma cacao because of its unique morphological and behavioral characteristics. Having natural pollinators has beneficial effects in both agricultural and biological products because it increases Theobroma cacao crop yield and also density of predators of the midges.