SAMPLING FOR SAND FLIES (DIPTERA: PSYCHODIDAE) AMONG PRAIRE DOG COLONIES ON RANCHES WITH HISTORIES OF VESICULAR STOMATITIS IN NEW MEXICO AND COLORADO.

Authors: Schmidtmann, Edward; CRAIG,, M. - NEW MEXICO STATE UNIVERSI; ENGLISH,, L. - NEW MEXICO STATE UNIVERSI; Herrero, Marco

Submitted to: Journal of Medical Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/20/2002
Publication Date: 7/1/2002
Citation: Schmidtmann, E.T., Craig,, M.E., English,, L.J., Herrero, M.V. 2002. Sampling for sand flies (diptera: psychodidae) among praire dog colonies on ranches with histories of vesicular stomatitis in new mexico and colorado.. Journal of Medical Entomology.

Interpretive Summary: We investigated the possible presence of sand flies (as a possible vector of vesicular stomatitis virus) on ranches with histories of vesicular stomatitis disease in livestock in New Mexico and Colorado. Study was conducted on three livestock operations in both states using three types of insect traps that were set in prairie dog colonies. Several male and female sand flies, Lutzomyia apache, were captured at a cattle ranch in th Rio Grande River Valley, New Mexico in light/suction traps set amidst a prairie dog colony and near a cattle feedlot. This finding is of interest because sand flies have not been reported from New Mexico, sand flies are vectors of vesicular stomatitis virus in other areas of the U.S., Central and South America, and periodic outbreaks of vesicular stomatitis among livestock occur in the Rio Grande River Valley. Further study is needed to clarify the possible role of L. apache in the epidemiology of vesicular stomatitis virus in the western U.S.

Technical Abstract: The possible presence of sand flies (Diptera:Psychodidae) among colonies of white-tailed prairie dogs, Cynomys gunnisoni Baird, was investigated on or near ranches with histories of vesicular stomatitis (VS) in domestic livestock in the mid-Rio Grande River Valley, New Mexico, and West-slope region of Colorado. Sampling was conducted at six premises, three in each region, using three methods: standard down-draft suction/light traps, up-draft suction/light traps (both supplemented with CO2) and burrow- emergence traps. Two male and four female sandflies, Lutzomyia apache, were recovered from prairie dog colony & desert shrub land habitats on a cattle ranch in Socorro County, New Mexico. Sand flies were captured only in up- draft suction/light traps. This record is of interest because: 1) sand flies have not been reported from New Mexico, 2) sand flies are biological vectors of VS viruses in other areas, 3) the mid-Rio Grande River Valley has been a focus of VS virus activity in domestic livestock during recent outbreaks, and 4) the source of vesiculoviruses that infect livestock in the western U.S. is unknown, but may involve an enzootic cycle maintained by vector insects.