Abstract:
INTRODUCTION:
Panstrongylus herreri is a main Chagas disease vector, and its success as a vector stems from its ability to establish domiciliated colonies; we aimed to explore its biology and reproduction.
METHODS:
The average amount of blood ingested and the time from the beginning of a blood meal to the production of feces were recorded.
RESULTS:
Females exhibited a higher blood ingestion rate than males, but similar defecation times and frequencies were observed.
CONCLUSIONS:
Despite the detected decrease in oviposition rates, P. herreri’s potential as a Chagas disease vector in environments other than the Amazon forest cannot be discounted.
Keywords:
Panstrongylus herreri; Biology; Life cycle