The distance of attraction of CDC light traps to Phlebotomine sandflies

Abstract

The range from which Phlebotomus ariasi Tonnoir, 1921 is attracted to a CDC light trap was studied in the field in France by suspending a CDC trap, without a cage, over one of a line of 7 large suction (LS) traps. The LS trap under the CDC trap caught many more sandflies than the other LS traps and the pattern of the catches showed that P. ariasi is attracted to the light of a CDC trap at distances < 2 m. It is concluded that, in studies on the dispersal of marked sandflies, CDC traps would not artificially increase the distance of dispersal and that, in suitable weather, the aerial population of P. ariasi is large and constantly moving during the nocturnal period of activity.