-92- 



generations, and establishing colonies that regularly produce enough 

 flies for experimental work. Most colonies established since 1978 are 

 in this second category, with studies on the biology of colonized 

 flies just beginning (Kil 1 ick-Kendrick, 1978). 



The establishment of a productive colony of Lutzomyia diabolica 

 was essential to studying its biology and vector potential for 

 leishmaniasis. Lindquist (1936) collected adults of this species at 

 Uvalde, Texas, recovered their eggs and reared the progeny through one 

 generation, but did not establish a laboratory colony. Endris (1982), 

 in connection with studies of the ecology of Rio Grande virus, 

 established the first laboratory colony of Lu_. diabol ica from stock 

 material obtained at Garner State Park, Texas. He described certain 

 aspects of the biology of the species, but due to insufficient 

 numbers, did not adequately study its life cycle and vector capacity. 

 The colony survived for only seven generations. The objectives of the 

 current study were 



1. to establish a productive laboratory colony of Lu. diabol ica ; 

 and 



2. to study the biology and life history of the species under 

 laboratory conditions. 



Materials and Methods 



General 



Field sites and methods used for collecting wild Lu . diabolica 

 with which to stock a laboratory colony were discussed in Chapter 2. 

 The materials and methods used for handling, feeding, and rearing 



