REARING AND COLONIZATION OF LUTZOMYIA-EVANSI (DIPTERA, PSYCHODIDAE), A VECTOR OF VISCERAL LEISHMANIASIS IN COLOMBIA

The sandfly Lutzomyia evansi from a focus of visceral leishmaniasis in northern Colombia was reared and maintained under laboratory conditio ns for five generations. The average time for total development was 41 .8 days (range = 35.1-49.6) at 25 degrees C and 89-95% of relative hum idity. The mean number of eggs laid was lower in laboratory bred femal es either in pots (13.2 eggs/female) or vials (29.9 eggs/female) than in wild caught females (33.4 eggs/female). Immature mortality mainly d ue to fungal and mite contamination, was higher during the first two i nstars than in the remaining immature stages. Adults were robust and h ealthy although difficult to feed on hamster or chick skin membrane. i n summary, Lu. evansi is a colonizable species but requires specific c onditions.