It has been hundred years since Phlebotomine sand flies were first identified as transmitters of the medically important parasites called Leishmania. The key players, investigated by scientists during the first 60 years, were the insect, the parasite, and the mammalian host. Forty years ago, plants were included as potentially influential players in the transmission process. During the past ten years, we have witnessed a further expansion to include bacteria and viruses as influencers of transmission and the realisation that there is a fascinating network of microbes interacting with surprising consequences for the control of the leishmaniases. This presentation focussed on the recent inclusion of the bacterial players in the sand fly–Leishmania drama. It was also a personal reflection on the urgent need for entomologists and other biologists to harness their creative endeavours to engage with policy makers and the public about what insects can teach us and the huge importance of insects and their microbes in a human centred world....