OVIPOSITION ATTRACTANT ASSOCIATED WITH CONSPECIFIC DEVELOPMENT STAGESOF SERGENTOMYIA AND PHLEBOTOMUS SANDFLIES (DIPT., PSYCHODIDAE)

Gravid females of Sergentomyia ingrami, S. schwetzi and Phlebotomus du boscqi were attracted to oviposit on filter papers treated with test m aterials obtained from their conspecific development stages. S. ingram i was also exposed to oviposit in Petri dishes baited with non-conspec ific P. duboscqi test materials. Immature and adult stages of all thre e species were crushed and smeared individually on filter papers and t hereafter placed inside small containers for egg-laying. Significantly more eggs were laid by Sergentomyia and Phlebotomus sandflies on filt er papers baited with their conspecific immature and adult test materi als. There was no significant difference between the number of eggs la id by S. ingrami on filter papers treated with non-conspecific P. dubo scqi test materials with those laid on their controls. It is concluded that both immature and adult development stages of sandflies have a v olatile substance which attracts gravid females for egg-laying.