Recent advances in laboratory mass rearing of phlebotomine sand flies.

Abstract

Recent technical and procedural advances in mass rearing of sand flies have resulted in larger, healthier, and less labor-intensive colonies. We now maintain closed colonies of Phlebotomus papatasi, P. duboscqi, P. argentipes, and Lutzomyia longipalpis which produce up to 1,000 females per week, in excess of colony-maintenance requirements, for use in research. Advances include larval food preparation in acrylic-plastic incubator cabinets, strict regulation of food quantity and moisture in 500-ml plaster-lined rearing jars, use of large plaster-lined adult holding/mating cages and vacuum-powered aspirators for trauma-free handling of adults.