A nylon net cage (260 x 40 x 40 cm) provided with unidirectional air flow was used to demonstrate the response of female sandflies, Lutzomyia longipalpis Lutz & Neiva (Diptera: Psychodidae) to a host and extract of male pheromone glands over a distance of 240 cm. Females responded more rapidly and in greater numbers to the host if male pheromone was present. Results suggest that one function of the pheromone may be to attract females from some distance to a common mating site, on or near the host.

A heated pheromone trap for the sandfly Lutzomyia longipalpis was tested in the laboratory using filter paper or plastic vial dispensers. Male pheromone extracted from 8 male tergal glands and absorbed on to filter paper dispensers attracted 82/120 (68.3%) of virgin females released in cages. Similarly plastic vial dispensers baited with the extract of 24 males caught 73/120 (61%). In field trials carried out near januária, Minas Gerais, Brazil using the plastic dispensers baited with extracts of 50 male tergal glands only 70 female L. longipalpis were captured. Over 1000 male flies were, however, caught during 6 nights, with greater numbers in the unbaited control traps than in the pheromone baited test traps. It is concluded that at excessive concentrations male L. longipalpis pheromone may act as a repellent to conspecific males

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