PERIDOMESTIC BREEDING AND RESTING SITES OF SANDFLIES (DIPTERA: PSYCHODIDAE) IN BIHAR, INDIA

Bihar has been endemic for Visceral Leishmaniasis for over a century and shares approximately 90 percent cases of India. The Old World sandflies are mostly endophilic and endophagic. However, outdoor breeding sites were found in the peridomestic areas of human dwellings and cattle sheds from one to 100 meters distant. Sandflies were collected using CDC light traps from between abandoned wells covered with wild plants, bushes of bamboo (Bambusa bambos), banana (Musa sapientum) and wild herbs, old stacks of bricks covered with smaller plants making the environment cool and providing food to larvae from organic debris due to litter. The resting sandflies were also collected by aspirator and flash light from the dwellings and cattle sheds. The findings will assist in mapping of peridomestic breeding and resting sites of sandflies which will be of immense help during implementation of control programs for the disease in Bihar, India.