Laboratory rearing of Phlebotomus perniciosus (Diptera: Psychodidae) and fungal growth problems

One of the difficulties of growing sandflies in the laboratory is fungal contamination. This study of the laboratory rearing of Phlebotomus perniciosus reports on the nature and circumstances of fungal contamination. Fungal growth is favoured during winter and diapause. The harmful effects vary with the fungal species and the larval stages. The solution to the problem lies on the use of aseptic techniques and the avoidance of overfeeding.