COMPARATIVE ACTIVITY OF PHLEBOTOMINE SANDFLIES (DIPTERA, PSYCHODIDAE)IN DIFFERENT CROPS IN THE PERUVIAN ANDES

Significant inter-crop variation in the abundance of phlebotomine sand flies, mostly Lutiomyia verrucarum Townsend, and five aphid species (H emiptera: Aphididae), was demonstrated by repeated castor oil sticky t rap collections in two valleys in the Peruvian Andes. Sandfly populati ons were significantly higher in fruit crops than in ground crops. Sti cky trap collections also proved to be a suitable method for measuring aphid relative abundance in crops. As aphid honeydew is a natural sug ar source for phlebotomine sandflies, the relationship between the act ivities of sandflies and aphids was investigated in inter-crop compari sons. Significant correlations were detected between sandfly abundance and two of the major aphid species, Aphis gossypii Glover and Eriosom a lanigerum (Hausmann), in one valley, but indirect explanations for t hese apparent associations cannot be ruled out.