Population dynamics of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in cutaneous leishmaniasis endemic areas of Kurunegala District, Sri Lanka

•Phlebotomus argentipes and Sergentomyia punjabensis were recorded from this area.•P. argentipes was the most common species.•Wind speed associated with lower sand fly abundance.•Rainfall associated with increased sand fly abundance.•High sand fly abundance lead to high disease prevalence. Sand flies are the primary vectors of leishmaniasis. Disease management with effective vector control depends on the knowledge of vector population dynamics. In Sri Lanka, despite few isolated entomological collections, long-term studies are not reported to date. In the reported study, monthly entomological surveillance was conducted from May 2017 to December 2018 in Polpithigama, Maho, and Galgamuwa Medical Officer of Health (MOH) areas using standard entomological techniques. Climatic data were collected from the Department of Meteorology, Sri Lanka. Patient records were collected from each MOH office. A total of 38,339 sand flies were collected. The majority were Phlebotomus argentipes (99.50%, n = 38,147), while the rest was Sergentomyia punjabensis (0.50%, n = 192). Wind speed reduces sand fly abundance (r = -0.519, P