Plant-feeding phlebotomine sand flies, vectors of leishmaniasis, prefer Cannabis sativa

Sand fly females suck blood from vertebrate animals, including humans, and thereby transmit Leishmania parasites and arboviruses. In addition, both sand fly sexes consume plant-derived sugar meals. Therefore, the structure of plant communities can influence the transmission dynamics of sand fly-borne diseases. Our findings demonstrate that, in proportion to their abundance, Cannabis sativa plants were consumed by sand flies much more frequently than expected (i.e., C. sativa is probably highly attractive to sand flies). We discuss the conceivable influence of C. sativa on the transmission of Leishmania and its potential utility for sand fly control.