Search

Response of virgin female Lutzomyia longipalpis Lutz & Nevia (Diptera: Psychodidae), contained in a 60-cm3 net cage, to sticky traps was significantly greater when the traps were baited with extract of male pheromone glands. Results confirm that the response of females to male pheromone does not necessarily depend upon the presence of a host.

Pheromone-disc contact experiments are described in which different populations of the sandfly Lutzomyia longipalpis from Brazil were exposed to each others male pheromone extracts. The Jacobina population reacted only to the conspecific pheromone. The Sobral 2S population, however, would respond to the pheromone of Jacobina males, but if given a choice showed a preference for conspecific extract. Mate choice experiments are also described using sandflies of two pheromone types from Sobral. One population preferentially selected conspecific sexual partners, but the other showed poor mating propensity.

A nylon net cage (260 x 40 x 40 cm) provided with unidirectional air flow was used to demonstrate the response of female sandflies, Lutzomyia longipalpis Lutz & Neiva (Diptera: Psychodidae) to a host and extract of male pheromone glands over a distance of 240 cm. Females responded more rapidly and in greater numbers to the host if male pheromone was present. Results suggest that one function of the pheromone may be to attract females from some distance to a common mating site, on or near the host.