Ceratopogonid
Guides
Forcipomyia
biting midges, no-see-ums, punkies
Forcipomyia is a large genus of biting midges comprising over 1,000 described species. The genus exhibits remarkable ecological diversity: species in the subgenus Lasiohelea are vertebrate blood-feeders, some species act as ectoparasites on larger insects, and others serve as the exclusive pollinators of cacao (Theobroma cacao), making them essential to chocolate production. This genus belongs to the family Ceratopogonidae and demonstrates one of the highest recorded wing-beat frequencies among insects.
Leptoconops
black gnat, no-see-um
Leptoconops is a genus of biting midges (family Ceratopogonidae) commonly known as black gnats or no-see-ums. The genus has a relictual distribution with predominantly tropical and subtropical range, though some species extend to temperate regions including Russia and Canada. Adults are small blood-feeding insects; females are diurnal feeders on vertebrate blood. The genus represents one of the earliest existing lineages of biting midges, with fossil records dating to Cretaceous amber.