First published: 28 August 2025.
A recent article published in Medical and Veterinary Entomology, “Investigation of the global transportation of Culicoides biting midges, vectors of livestock and equid arboviruses , from flower-packing plants in Kenya”, investigates whether Culicoides biting midges, tiny insects that can carry serious livestock viruses, are being accidentally exported from Africa to Europe in shipments of cut flowers. Recent outbreaks of livestock diseases in Europe have unclear origins, and there has been intense debate about how these viruses arrived, especially in places far from expected transmission routes.
This research adds a piece to that puzzle and provides evidence to inform trade and surveillance policy.
“The story bridges animal health, trade biosecurity, and globalisation. It’s especially relevant to policymakers involved in disease surveillance, trade regulation, and risk management.
It also touches on public concerns about how international trade might inadvertently introduce pests or pathogens.”
– Dr Jess Stokes (first author), Fellow and Project Officer at the Royal Entomological Society
This is the first study of its kind, and while the authors did detect small numbers of these insects near and inside greenhouses on a Kenyan flower farm, they found none in the packaging or transport areas.
This suggests that the risk of midges being shipped with flowers is very low, but not zero.
Given that northern Europe has experienced several unexpected outbreaks of livestock diseases spread by midges in recent years, their findings highlight the need to consider flower shipments as a potential, though unlikely, pathway for disease spread. They suggest simple, low-cost measures (like insect light traps in packing rooms) and working with nearby smallholders, to further reduce risk and protect both public health and international trade.
While the fieldwork took place in Kenya, the findings are relevant globally. The EU imports billions of euros worth of cut flowers annually, many from Africa and Latin America.
This study’s results will interest veterinary and trade authorities in any country involved in the flower trade.
Further, thousands of pests are transported around the world daily, in ships, airplanes and road vehicles, and pests or the diseases they carry are regularly introduced to new countries, sometimes with devastating public health or economic consequences. While this study focussed on one site in one country, it highlights a global problem.
“Although there has long been speculation about whether midges could be transported with cut flowers, no one has previously conducted fieldwork to test this theory.
This is the first empirical investigation of Culicoides presence at an African flower-export facility.”
– Matthew Baylis (corresponding author)
Want to be featured in our Journal Highlights?
Shine a spotlight on your research by submitting your papers to any of our seven journals for the chance to be mentioned on our news pages and social media
