View source for Sandfly



==Overview==

[[image:Biting_sandfly.jpg|thumb|Sandfly biting a human's little finger]]
'''Sandfly''' is a colloquial name for any species or [[genus]] of flying, biting, [[blood-sucking]] [[Diptera]]n encountered in sandy areas.  In the [[United States]], sand fly may refer to certain [[horse fly|horse flies]] that are also known as "greenheads" (family [[Tabanidae]]), or to members of the family [[Ceratopogonidae]], also known in [[Florida]] and elsewhere as a '''sandflea''', '''no-see-um''', '''no-see-em''', '''noseeum''', '''sand gnats''', '''chitras''', '''punkie''', or '''punky'''. In practice, nearly any fly found on a beach could be called a "sand fly". Some of these insects are a type of [[midge (insect)|midge]], which do not bite.

The sandfly is attracted to human flesh, and sandfly is used to refer to members of the subfamily [[Phlebotominae]] within the [[Psychodidae]], including the primary vectors of [[leishmaniasis]] and [[sandfly fever]].  In the [[New World]], leishmaniasis is spread by sand flies of the genus ''[[Lutzomyia]]''.  In the [[Old World]], the disease is spread by sandflies of the genus ''[[Phlebotomus]]''.

{{fly-stub}}
{{parasite-stub}}


==External links==
*[http://web.archive.org/web/20070601174802/http://www.bcgov.net/bftlib/sandfly.htm Sand Flies -- Beaufort County Library (via Internet Archive)]
*[http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Science/2007/09/15/infectious_skin_disease_found_in_texas/5646/ Infectious skin disease found in Texas]September 15, 2007 Breaking News - Sandfly may carry parasites that will cause infectious skin disease called leishmaniasis.

[[Category:Flies]]
{{WH}}

{{WS}}


[[Category:Pest insects]]