biting midge

biting midge
punkie.
[1940-45]

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insect
 any member of a family of small, bloodsucking insects in the fly order, Diptera, that are often serious pests along seashores, rivers, and lakes and may attack in great numbers and cause extreme discomfort. The nickname no-see-ums is descriptive, for, although its irritating bite is felt, the female midge is often difficult to find. Biting midges are usually about 1 mm (0.04 inch) long.

      The larvae live in both fresh and brackish water, in moist soil, or under tree bark. The genera Culicoides and Leptoconops, also known as sand flies (sand fly) (q.v.), or punkies, attack humans but are not known to transmit any diseases to them. Many species attack other insects such as mantids, walking-sticks, and dragonflies.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • biting midge — n 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 …   Medical dictionary

  • biting midge — n. any of a family (Ceratopogonidae) of midges with piercing and sucking mouthparts: some species attack humans and animals in swarms …   English World dictionary

  • biting midge — no see um o see um n. (Zool.) Any of several minute two winged biting insects of the family {Ceratopogonidae} that suck the blood of mammals and birds and other insects; also called {biting midge} and {punkie}. Syn: punkie, punky, punkey, biting… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • biting midge — bit′ing midge′ n. ent punkie • Etymology: 1940–45 …   From formal English to slang

  • biting midge — noun Date: 1945 any of a family (Ceratopogonidae) of tiny biting dipteran flies of which some are vectors of filarial worms …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • biting midge — noun Any Ceratopogonidae, a family of small flies (1 4 mm long) in the order Diptera. Syn: midgie, sand fly, punkie, punky …   Wiktionary

  • biting midge — n. punky, punkie, extemely tiny bloodsucking two winged insect …   English contemporary dictionary

  • biting midge — noun minute two winged insect that sucks the blood of mammals and birds and other insects • Syn: ↑punkie, ↑punky, ↑punkey, ↑no see um • Hypernyms: ↑gnat • Member Holonyms: ↑Ceratopogonidae, ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • Midge — For other uses, see Midge (disambiguation). Midges A biting midge feeding on blood through an artificial membrane for insect rearing Scientific classification …   Wikipedia

  • midge — /mij/, n. 1. any of numerous minute dipterous insects, esp. of the family Chironomidae, somewhat resembling a mosquito. Cf. gnat (def. 1). 2. a tiny person. [bef. 900; ME mygge, OE mycg(e); c. G Mücke, ON my; akin to Gk myîa, L musca fly] * * *… …   Universalium

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