behaviour of lutzomyia longipalpis in an area of southern honduras endemic for visceralatypical cutaneous leishmaniasis the predominant sandfly in las maria de pavana choluteca honduras was found to be lutzomyia longipalpis most 69 of the 791 specimens of this species caught being male when local lu longipalpis were studied over 1 year 19861987 using cdc traps peaks in the size of the adult population were observed in december and july each after a period of rain most 51 244767 97144 of the flies caught inside houses were female whereas most 55 61156 3766 of those caught outside were male far more lu longipalpis of both sexes were collected per h of collection from cattle and horses than from dogs or pigs the vast majority 8393 of the flies caught on each type of animal being male the males may benefit from resting on the mammals because the females with which they mate come to the same animals for blood the females may benefit by the presence of the males not only by the increased chance of finding a mate but also because pheremones from the males may attract the females both to the males and to a bloodmeal source the adult lu longipalpis only appeared to be active during the hours of darkness none alighting in the twilight of dawn 04000600 hours or dusk 18002000 hours on the large mammals investigated