The family Bunyaviridae is one of the largest and most diverse of the established viral families. Viruses within this family infect a wide range of organisms including invertebrates, vertebrates, and plants. Bunyaviruses are transmitted by mammals or arthropods, including ticks, mosquitoes, biting midges, sandflies, and thrips. Some viruses within this family are important pathogens causing encephalitis or hemorrhagic fever in humans, abortions in pregnant animals, or devastating disease in economically important plants