Psychodidae

Sand Fly
• Sand flies: (Phlebotomus and Lutzomyia).
• Identification.
• Life history and habits.
• Public health importance of phlebotomus
sand fly.
• Phlebotomus:
Phlebotomus is a genus of sand flies in the order
Diptera of family Psychodidae. The genus
phlebotomus contains all known medically important
species in the old world.
• Lutzomyia:
Lutzomyia is a genus of sand flies in the order Diptera
of family Psychodidae. The genus Lutzomiya contains
species of sand flies which are notorious vectors of
human diseases.
• Identification:
Sand flies are about 1.5–4 mm long.
Sand fly are brownish in color
They have a hairy appearance.
Eyes are black and conspicuous.
Legs are long and stilt like.
Wings have leaf like shape.
Adults have long antennae.
Body is divided into head, thorax and abdomen.
• Habits:
• Sand flies have characteristics flight with many short flights and
landings.
• The wings are held erect over the body when at rest.
• Sand flies usually bite after dark, but may bite in daytime during
cloudy weather in forests.
• Most species feed outdoors but a few feed indoors.
• Because of their short mouthparts they cannot bite through
clothing.
• Sand flies lay eggs in damp and dark places such as cattle and
poultry shades.
• Sand flies are nocturnal in habit.
• The range of flight is 200 yard from their breeding places.
• Life cycle:
• Egg:
The female generally lays eggs in the damp dark
places in the cattle sheds & poultry sheds. The eggs
vary from 40-60 in number, brownish in color. The
eggs measure about 0.4 mm in length. Eggs hatch
in 1-2weeks.
• Larva:
The larva is maggot like structure, having large head,
thorax and abdomen and two long bristle on last
abdominal segment. Larva grow in humid places feed
on decaying organic matter and become a pupa in
about 2 weeks. Animal sheds and rodent burrows
appear to be the most likely place for sand fly larvae
to live.
Pupa:
The pupae are golden brown and are affixed
to the surface of the substrate in which they
developed. The pupa stage lasts for
about 1 week.
• Adult:
The average life span of sand fly is about two weeks.
They are about 1.5–4 mm long with brownish color
and hairy appearance, clear eyes, long legs, broad
wings and long antennae.
• Public Health Importance:
Leishmaniasis:
The cutaneous form presents with skin ulcers, while
the mucocutaneous form presents with ulcers of the
skin, mouth, and nose, and the visceral form starts
with skin ulcers and then later presents with fever,
low red blood cells, and enlarged spleen and liver.
• Control measures:
Mechanical control:
Habitat destruction, habitat control are the methods
can be used as a means of mechanical control.
Chemical control:
Insecticide Lindane can be used for the chemical
control of sand flies.
• Thank You