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Updated: Oct 12, 2025
Measuring the Flight Ability of the Ambrosia Beetle, Platypus Quercivorus Murayama, Using a Low-Cost, Small, and Easily Constructed Flight Mill
Published on: August 6, 2018
Sand fly behavior: much more than weak-flying
Gabriel Barbosa Tonelli1, Camila Binder1, Carina Margonari1
1Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Instituto René Rachou, Grupo de Estudos em Leishmanioses, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.
Background:
Leishmaniases are diseases transmitted by some species of sand flies and are widely distributed throughout the tropical regions of the planet. Despite the low mobility of these vectors, the geographical distributions of some species are quite extensive, which hinders control and surveillance measures in endemic areas.
Objectives:
The present study investigated the flying capacity of sand flies.
Methods:
Four Hoover Penido (HP)-type light traps were positioned in the centre of the Velhas' River, about 80 metres equidistant from each other. We also realised capture/release/recapture attempts to assess possible capacity of phlebotomine fly uninterrupted up to 150 metres. Captured sand flies from one side of the river were marked using fluorescent powder (Luminous Paint kit, Bioquip®) and released on the other side, approximately 150 m distant. Recapture attempts were made on river's bank up to 30 days post-release.
Findings:
Six sand flies of the species Nyssomyia neivai (n = 4), Ny. intermedia (n = 1) and Evandromyia lenti (n = 1) were captured in the centre of the river. There were no recaptures of the 1,450 marked-and-released sand flies.
Main Conclusions:
The results obtained disagree with data found in the literature regarding the flight capacity of sand fly vectors of leishmaniasis.
