The Lifecycle of Phlebotomus argentipes (Diptera: Psychodidae) Sand Fly in a Newly Developed Colony in Bangladesh

Laboratory-established sand fly colonies provide important material for leishmaniasis research; however, the establishment and maintenance of such colonies can be complicated. In this study, a colony of Phlebotomus argentipes (P. argentipes) was established using wild-caught sand flies in Bangladesh by following standard procedures described in the published literature. The colony was initiated in a controlled laboratory environment. A total of 430 female P. argentipes sand flies were collected to develop the colony. Over multiple generations (F0 to F6), 1,034 P. argentipes sand flies laid eggs. The number of eggs that successfully emerged differed significantly between the wild-caught generation and other generations, except for the F1 and F6 generations. A significant difference was observed in the incubation period between wild-caught (F0) and laboratory-reared sand flies (F1 to F6). The mean mortality rate was highest in the first instar (13.9) and lowest in the pupae stage (1.9%). The development from pupae to adult sand flies was 98% successful. It was observed that the copulation was much more frequent after the females had taken a blood meal. This is the first successful attempt to colonize sand flies from Bangladesh in laboratory settings. The study's findings will contribute to a better understanding of the role of P. argentipes as a vector of Leishmania parasites in Bangladesh, as well as in the region. The colony can also be used for xenodiagnoses, insecticide resistance monitoring, and other experimental infections to generate the necessary evidence.