BACKGROUND: Phlebotomine sandfly (Diptera: Psychodidae) is best known for its role as the vector of the leishmaniasis. Leishmaniasis is a global disease, currently known to be affecting 88 countries and 12 million people worldwide. RESULTS: This study explored the impacts of climate factors and landscape on the local abundance of Phlebotomine sandfly in mainland China. A presence-only modelling method was used to evaluate this species' habitat preferences from environmental factors. Jackknife analysis revealed that several biologically meteorological variables, including the maximum temperature of the warmest quarter, the precipitation in the driest month, the daily average temperature and daily precipitation, would significantly affect the existence of this species. Moreover, the existence of Phlebotomine sandfly was significantly associated with grassland and forest. CONCLUSION: The results will improve scientific understanding of the risks of the spread of leishmaniasis over current infected areas and can be used to design more detailed surveillance programmes and more evidence-based control planning for Phlebotomine sandfly and leishmaniasis. (c) 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.