Species of Culicoides feeding on horses were investigated in Ibadan and Ilorin in the southwestern part of Nigeria using light, sticky and emergence traps. A totalof 2949 Culicoides consisting of 22 species were caught over a period of 22 months. Culicoides quinquelineatus was the most numerous, followed by C. imicola. The greatest proportion of Culicoides was caught with the sticky traps followed by the emergence traps during the period of moderate to heavy rains. Males were scarceand the proportion of fed females was generally low.
A significantly greater number of Culicoides was caught during the rains than during the dry season. The results are discussed within the context of previous investigations on Culicoides in Nigeria. The possibility of some species, especially C. imicola and C. quinquelineatus being vectors of African horse sickness is also discussed.