IMPROVED REARING CONDITIONS OF SANDFLIES (PHLEBOTOMUS-ARGENTIPES), ASREQUIRED FOR STUDIES ON TRANSMISSION DYNAMICS OF LEISHMANIASIS

Rearing conditions of sandflies (Phlebotomus argentipes) has been impr oved. Bloodfed females were initially maintained at 21-23 degrees C fo r 5-7 days before allowing them to oviposit at 26-28 degrees C and a p roportion of flies were directly allowed to oviposit at 26-28 degrees C just after feeding to see their oviposition survival and subsequentl y the refeeding rate. It was found that when the flies were maintained following the former method gave better results. It is proposed to ke ep the bloodfed sandflies at a temperature lower than its suitable fee ding temperature for a period longer than its oogenesis period and the n to bring back the flies at slightly higher temperature, required for oviposition to get better result in oviposition survival and subseque ntly multiple feeding activity.