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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triatominae https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triatominae They're also called assassin bugs and are pretty common. If you treat aroun

by mhurron 10y ago

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triatominae https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triatominae They're also called assassin bugs and are pretty common. If you treat around your house for bugs like ticks, fleas, ants and termites you're probably using an insecticide that will also control these things. Yes I know ticks aren't bugs, but none of what I listed are true bugs. And now my skin is itchy.

stronglikedan 10y ago
Thanks. You would think an article about kissing bugs would have at least one clear image of the bug itself. I now know exactly what these are, thanks to the article you linked.
ktRolster 10y ago
Oh dang it, they fly.
faitswulff 10y ago
They seem not to be the same things, since the article specifically mentions assassin bugs as being falsely identified as kissing bugs. It seems they belong to the same family of insect, however.
- mhurron 10y ago
  http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/chagas/gen_info/vectors/ http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/chagas/gen_info/vectors/ The CDC also lists them as the same thing. It is possible all these sources are right. There are many species of this pest and while all can carry the Chagas disease worm apparently only 5 of prime concern as an infection vector for humans. It could be that none of those 5 are called assassin bugs.
whyenot 10y ago
Both kissing bugs and assassin bugs are both true bugs in the family Reduviidae, but they are not the same thing. Kissing bugs that can spread Chagas are not common outside the extreme southern portion of the US. By the way, not only are ticks not bugs, they aren't even insects, they are arachnids. Many insecticides have no effect on them.
- somethingsimple 10y ago
  Thanks for the peace of mind. I've seen many assassin bugs in my apartment in the Seattle area and sometimes worry that one of us might have been bitten by them and have Chagas. I guess we're safe in this area.
  - whyenot 10y ago
    Here is a map of the states where the kissing bugs that vector Chagas disease have been been reported in the US. http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/chagas/gen_info/vectors/ http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/chagas/gen_info/vectors/ This doesn't mean the bugs are common in these states, or even when bugs are present, that they have the parasite responsible for Chagas.
- jcbeard 10y ago
  They're unfortunately becoming common in the upper regions of Texas. At least I can verify Austin, TX has had quite a few. Thankfully pesticides take care of these not so little critters.
_of 10y ago
The kissing bug carries a unicellular organism called Trypanosoma cruzi [1], which is what causes the human disease. T. cruzi is transmitted by the kissing bug into the human host, where it can remain dormant for years while completing its life cycle. What is so nasty with this parasite is that it hides inside normal cells, proliferating slowly. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trypanosoma_cruzi https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trypanosoma_cruzi

by mhurron 10y ago

stronglikedan 10y ago

Thanks. You would think an article about kissing bugs would have at least one clear image of the bug itself. I now know exactly what these are, thanks to the article you linked.

ktRolster 10y ago

Oh dang it, they fly.

faitswulff 10y ago

They seem not to be the same things, since the article specifically mentions assassin bugs as being falsely identified as kissing bugs. It seems they belong to the same family of insect, however.

mhurron 10y ago
http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/chagas/gen_info/vectors/ http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/chagas/gen_info/vectors/ The CDC also lists them as the same thing. It is possible all these sources are right. There are many species of this pest and while all can carry the Chagas disease worm apparently only 5 of prime concern as an infection vector for humans. It could be that none of those 5 are called assassin bugs.

whyenot 10y ago

Both kissing bugs and assassin bugs are both true bugs in the family Reduviidae, but they are not the same thing. Kissing bugs that can spread Chagas are not common outside the extreme southern portion of the US. By the way, not only are ticks not bugs, they aren't even insects, they are arachnids. Many insecticides have no effect on them.

somethingsimple 10y ago
Thanks for the peace of mind. I've seen many assassin bugs in my apartment in the Seattle area and sometimes worry that one of us might have been bitten by them and have Chagas. I guess we're safe in this area.
- whyenot 10y ago
  Here is a map of the states where the kissing bugs that vector Chagas disease have been been reported in the US. http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/chagas/gen_info/vectors/ http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/chagas/gen_info/vectors/ This doesn't mean the bugs are common in these states, or even when bugs are present, that they have the parasite responsible for Chagas.
jcbeard 10y ago
They're unfortunately becoming common in the upper regions of Texas. At least I can verify Austin, TX has had quite a few. Thankfully pesticides take care of these not so little critters.

_of 10y ago

The kissing bug carries a unicellular organism called Trypanosoma cruzi [1], which is what causes the human disease. T. cruzi is transmitted by the kissing bug into the human host, where it can remain dormant for years while completing its life cycle. What is so nasty with this parasite is that it hides inside normal cells, proliferating slowly. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trypanosoma_cruzi https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trypanosoma_cruzi