Andronic, Bianca-LaviniaIvănescu, Maria-LarisaApopei, Gabriela-VictoriaMardare Mîndru, RalucaMiron, Liviu-Dan2026-06-092026-06-0920251454-7406https://repository.iuls.ro/handle/20.500.12811/6580Phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) are vectors of Leishmania infantum, the etiological agent of leishmaniosis, a major vector-borne zoonosis. Although several autochthonous and imported cases have recently been reported in Romania, updated information on sand fly distribution remains limited, highlighting the need for continuous surveillance and reliable trapping tools. Between May and September of 2023–2025, 55 sand flies were collected from 13 sites in northeastern and southeastern Romania using three trap types: the New Standard Miniature CDC Light Trap (John W.Hock Company, USA), Laika Trap 4.0 (LaikaLab, Pozzuolo, Italy), and sticky traps. Traps were placed from dusk until dawn in suitable microhabitats, and specimens were morphologically identified using standard taxonomic keys. Light-based traps (CDC and Laika) yielded comparable numbers and accounted for over 95% of all captures, whereas sticky traps were less efficient. Despite technical differences, both light traps performed similarly under field conditions. These findings indicate that light-based traps are effective for routine surveillance, supporting their use in systematic sand fly monitoring programs in Romania.EnglishAttribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/sand flytrapping methodsCDC Light TrapLaika Trapsticky trapArticle2393-4603https://doi.org/10.61900/SPJVS.2025.04.06