A Model of Microenvironment and Man-Biting Tropical Insects 1

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Abstract
A hygrothermal space is developed in a model to show that adult insect man-biting activity is largely dependent on the environmental conditions of temperature and vapor pressure. Data collected in the tropical forest of the Bayano River Basin, Republic of Panama m 1973 are used to develop the model. Data acquired in 1974 are used to test the model. The data show that the most abundant insect species collected prefer narrow ranges of temperature and vapor pressure when engaged in man-biting activity. Certain Culicoides and phlebotomine species occupy the cooler and drier region of this hygrothermal space, while mosquitoes occupy a warmer and more humid region. Separation into definite regions is clearly shown with some overlapping in the middle range of temperature and vapor pressure. The model presented may be used in epidemiological surveillance work for insect-borne zoonotic diseases. Once the matrix for a particular insect vector is established then it may be possible to calculate the probability of being bitten by that vector and thus indicate one of the possible avenues in the transmission to man by measuring 2 simple physical parameters like vapor pressure and temperature.

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