Biting rhythm & biting activity of phlebotomid sandflies.

The biting behaviour of Phlebotomid sandflies was studied in a rural village of Pondicherry through all night collections for a period of one year, using human volunteers and cattle as baits. Phlebotomus papatasi was caught only on human bait, showing anthropophily while Ph. argentipes was caught on cattle baits, showing zoophily. The biting activity was seen throughout the night, reaching a peak of 0100 h in Ph. papatasi and 0200 h in Ph. argentipes.