Species › Insects & Arthropods › Eastern Blood-sucking Conenose

Eastern Blood-sucking Conenose

Triatoma sanguisuga

UncommonInsect & Arthropod
Illustration of Eastern Blood-sucking Conenose (Triatoma sanguisuga)
Safety note: Bites sleeping humans for blood — can transmit Chagas disease in the South.

The Eastern Blood-sucking Conenose, or kissing bug, is a large, dark assassin bug that feeds on blood at night, preferring to bite around the face. It is a potential vector of Chagas disease (Trypanosoma cruzi) in the southern United States. It inhabits rodent nests and wild animal dens and occasionally enters homes.

Habitat
Wild animal dens, rodent nests, and occasionally buildings in the South
Diet
Adults and nymphs: blood of mammals and birds
How common
Uncommon

Best time to see a Eastern Blood-sucking Conenose

The best time to see a Eastern Blood-sucking Conenose is May–July, when about 61% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 2,451 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

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