Determining landing preferences of the sand fly Phlebotomus papatasi for the development of lethal landing sites

The use of treated barriers is an important tool to protect deployed U.S. troops against blood-feeding insects like sand flies.  Since knowledge of sand fly landing and resting behavior in desert environments is limited, twelve different materials which are readily available to deployed soldiers were presented to sand flies Phlebotomus papatasi in a choice-test arena.  The number of flies landing and arresting on surface materials through time was counted.  Tests were conducted with both blood-fed and non blood-fed female flies and results were analyzed.  All test materials were untreated during the exploratory trials.  After the best-performing materials were determined, treated materials were introduced into the choice-test arena and the results analyzed.