Sandflies

Technology - Insects We Repel - Sandflies

Widespread in tropical and subtropical regions throughout the world, sandflies (phlebotomine) are biting, blood-sucking flies with densely hairy wings that give them a moth-like appearance. They are small—measuring only about one-third the size of most mosquitoes. About 70 of the approximately 700 known species of sandflies are known to transmit diseases to people, including the parasitic disease leishmaniasis and the virus known as sandfly fever. The name “sandfly” is sometimes used for other small biting flies, as well.

Noiseless fliers, sandflies prove most active at night, but will bite during the day if disturbed. They are found in a wide range of habitats. In the Eastern Hemisphere, sandflies that spread leishmaniasis—a significant hazard encountered by American military personnel serving in theMiddle East—exist mainly in dry, semi-arid areas. In theWestern Hemisphere, they live mainly in tropical forests and savannas.