[Occurrence and biology of Rhodnius neglectus Lent, 1954 in palm trees of suburban areas of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais].

Eighty-one "macaubeiras" palm-trees (Acrocomia sclerocarpa) from the periphery of Belo Horizonte city were cut down and dissected between April 1979 and July 1980. 60.5% of the trees were positive for R. neglectus and 463 specimens of this insect were collected, providing a mean rate of 9,45 individuals for positive palm-trees. R. neglectus seems to present a single annual generation in this region, but evidence was obtained that two generations may occur. Its spawn period is related to the hot months of the year, when younger insects prevail over the adults. This observation suggests that higher population densities are related to better feeding conditions and to minor densities of specific predators such as Telenomus sp., ants, spiders, hemipters, scorpions and pseudo scorpionidae. The Trypanosoma cruzi infection index was 15,9%, suggesting that R. neglectus is a very important vector of silvatic infections in the region. Marsupials are the main vertebrate source of T. cruzi infection. R. neglectus is strongly associated with palm-trees in the area, and with the various species of birds that haunt them. So far, there is no evidence suggesting R. neglectus to be an important vector of human Chagas' disease in the region.