PHLEBOTOMINE SAND FLY CONTROL USING BAIT-FED ADULTS TO CARRY THE LARVICIDE BACILLUS-SPHAERICUS TO THE LARVAL HABITAT

Sugar meals of plant origin are an important component of the sand fly diet. We show that sugar solution baits have potential as vehicles fo r phlebotomine sand fly control. In the Laboratory, adult Phlebotomus duboscqi Neveu-Lemaire and Sergentomyia schwetzi (Adler, Theodor, and Parrot) that have consumed an aqueous sucrose solution containing Baci llus sphaericus Neide toxins and are subsequently eaten by larvae prod uce significant larval death (P < 0.01). In the field, when vegetation near animal burrows and eroded termite mounds was sprayed with sucros e solution with or without incorporation of the larval toxicant B. sph aericus, 40% of female sand flies fed in situ. Dispersing B. sphaericu s-carrier sand flies caused significant larval mortality (P < 0.01) in resting and breeding sites in animal burrows 10-30 m from the sprayed vegetation for 2-12 wk posttreatment. Also, adult sand fly population s breeding and resting inside animal burrows were significantly reduce d (P < 0.01) following direct application of the sucrose/B. sphaericus solution to the burrow entrances. This control effect lasted 4-10 wk post-treatment. The effect was not seen for sand fly populations breed ing and resting inside eroded termite mounds. This approach may be use ful for the application of biological control agents against phlebotom ine sand flies in biotypes where larvae and adults use the same habita ts.