Effects of temperature and diet on the growth and longevity of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae)

Abstract

A series of experiments were done to study the effects of different ambient temperatures (28 to 10 °C) and diets on the growth rate, size and longevity of phlebotomine sand flies. Four different laboratory colonies of these insects were used: Phlebotomuspapatasi, Pperniciosus, Lutzomyia longipalpis (Brazil) and L. longipalpis (Colombia). The developmental times and survival of the insects were highly variable, depending on the temperature as well as species. At 18 °C and below, most of the L. longipalpis larvae and pupae died. At 15 ""C, the developmental time of P papatasiand Pperniciosus was markedly prolonged (150 to 412 days) and many of the immature forms died. Within a range of 28 to 15 °C, the longevity of adult P. papatasi and L. longipalpis increased as the ambient temperature decreased; to 15 ""C; the mean survival times of P. papatasi and L. longipalpis females were 63.2 and 37.1 days, respectively. The effect of two different diets (animal feceslliver powder and decomposing leaves) on the growth rate and size (pupal weight) of L. longipalpis was also determined. lnsects maintained on the diet of animal feceslliver powder developed faster, were more synchronous and were larger than those fed on decomposing leaves. Results of this study provide new information on the effects of environmental factors on the growth and longevity of phlebotomine sand flies under laboratory conditions.