Determination of susceptibility of sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) populations to prallethrin in Antalya

Phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera, Psychodidae, Phlebotominae) are medically important insects that are the vectors of Leishmania species, arboviruses and bacteria. Since the larval control of the sand flies is very difficult and almost impossible, the fighting has mainly been carried out for the adults. Prallethrin, synthetic pyrethroid insecticide, 1.2% w/w liquid vaporizer is a insecticide which is used for the control of mosquitoes in Turkey. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the toxic effect of the prallethrin on field collected sand flies. Adult Phlebotomine sand flies were collected using CDC light traps from Yaylalı, Aliefendi, and Büyükpınar in Alanya district and Karsiyaka in Kepez district of Antalya province in June 2016. Sandflies were exposed to prallethrin vapour and numbers of knock down insects were counted 5 min intervals for 1 h. After 1 h exposure, treated sand flies were transferred to untreated bottles and feed with 10% sucrose solution for 24 h. Mortalities were recorded after 24h. The experiment was repeated three times. Knock time 50 (KT50) values and the 95% confidence limits were calculated by using a probit analysis program. After a 1 h exposure period, Prallethrin caused 100% mortality in all sand flies collected from different regions of Alanya. The results of this research suggest that liquid vaporizer formulation of prallethrin can be used to control of sand flies in Turkey.