biting midge

noun

: any of a family (Ceratopogonidae) of tiny biting dipteran flies of which some are vectors of filarial worms

Examples of biting midge in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
However, some species can bite and one of the most common types in Arizona is the biting midge, also known as no-see-ums. Tiffany Acosta, The Arizona Republic, 23 Apr. 2024 Take bluetongue virus, a highly lethal ruminant disease that is spread by biting midges called Culicoides. Lois Parshley, Scientific American, 1 May 2018 The virus is transmitted by a biting midge called Culicoides paraensis, which Durán said has yet to be found on the island, and by certain Culex mosquitoes that live in hot, humid places like Cuba. Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 30 May 2024 General Tips for Visiting Chile When visiting during Chile’s summer months, beware of biting midges. Nora Walsh, Travel + Leisure, 5 June 2023 Deer populations will decrease due to EHD in late summer and early fall when biting midge activity is at its peak. Gabriela Miranda, USA TODAY, 28 Oct. 2021 Pound for pound, the no-see-um, or biting midge, may be the worst of the lot. The Editors, Outdoor Life, 4 Dec. 2020 With hundreds of horse deaths reported there in the last 3 weeks, horse owners are rushing to seal their animals indoors with netting, away from biting midges that spread the virus for African horse sickness (AHS). Christa Lesté-Lasserre, Science | AAAS, 16 Apr. 2020 It is transmitted through black flies, sand flies and biting midges, although scientists don’t completely understand its transmission process, the news release said. Noelle Phillips, The Denver Post, 2 Aug. 2019

Word History

First Known Use

1945, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of biting midge was in 1945

Dictionary Entries Near biting midge

Cite this Entry

“Biting midge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/biting%20midge. Accessed 17 Nov. 2024.

Medical Definition

biting midge

noun
: any of a large family (Ceratopogonidae) of tiny long-legged dipteran flies that have piercing mouthparts, attack birds and various mammals including humans, and include various vectors of filarial worms

More from Merriam-Webster on biting midge

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!