Distribution of sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in three vegetation habitats in the Marigat area, Baringo District, Kenya

Abstract

A total of 4,467 phlebotomine sandflies representing nine species and two genera were collected using polythene material coated with castor oil in three vegetation types in Marigat area from February to May 1986. Sandfly relative abundance was greatest in the closed-canopy forest (61% of total catch), followed by the open-canopy woodland (38%) and the thicket (1%). Nine species of sandflies were collected in both the closed-canopy forest and the open-canopy woodland. The thicket yielded only four species. The sandfly population in the vegetation was composed of Sergentomyia bedfordi (61%), S. antennatus (31%), S. ingrami (3%), S. schwetzi (2%), and S. africanus (1%). Plebotomus species rarely occurred in the study area. In the closed-canopy forest and the open-canopy woodland, female S. bedfordi were most abundant during the dry season, while males predominated during the wet period. Inversely, more male S. antennatus were collected during the dry season, while females predominated in the open-canopy woodland during the wet season. In the closed-canopy forest, male S. antennatus outnumbered the females during both dry and wet seasons. Both S. antennatus and S. bedfordi increased in abundance during the dry season.