PHLEBOTOMIES IN AN AREA OF THE TRANSMISSI ON OF AMERICAN CUTANEOUS LEISHMANIASIS IN THE NORTH OF PARANA STATE, BRAZIL - SEASONAL-VARIATION AND NOCTURNAL ACTIVITY

In two years of phlebotomine captures in a modified forest an apprecia ble decrease in the size of this insect population has been observed w hen compared to previous data from the same locality. The captures wit h the Shannon light trap were made in the outlying forest of Palmi tal farm in Terra Boa county, Parana S tate, Brazil. The predominant spec ies were Lutzomyia withmani, Lutzomyia migonei, Lutzomyia intermedius e Lutzomyia fischeri. These insects were active from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. and the period of greatest activity varied according to the species. T hese species' densities were higher in the summer and autum months. En vironmental modifications may have influenced the observed changes in phlebotomine behavior.