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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies (Hemiptera) » True Bugs (Heteroptera) » Assassin Bugs (Reduviidae) » Bloodsucking Conenoses (Triatoma)

Photo#344901

Copyright © 2009 christinew

Mystery blood sucking insect - Triatoma

Benson, Cochise County, Arizona, USA
October 19, 2009
Size: about 1/4 in or 1 cm

I have found these bugs in my bed which made me think they were bed bugs, but they don't look like the images I have seen of them. They have a longer more pointed head. They look similar to pictures of kissing bugs, but they aren't as big as described. If anyone knows what these are please help.

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Mystery blood sucking insect - Triatoma

Mystery blood sucking insect - Triatoma

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Contributed by christinew on 20 October, 2009 - 3:51pm
Last updated 21 October, 2009 - 6:28pm

Moved

Moved from ID Request.

… John F. Carr, 21 October, 2009 - 6:28pm

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kissing bug instar

Thanks again everyone. I e-mailed these pics to experts at the University of Arizona, and I just recieved a reply from them which I thought I would share with you all.

Dear Christine, Thank you for your email regarding kissing bugs. I have looked at your pics and those are definitely kissing bug instars (young ones). It looks like 4th instar stage. The kissing bug molts through five stages before becoming an adult(like a catapillar). It also looked flat indicating it had not eaten recently.

… christinew, 21 October, 2009 - 11:00am

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? Genus Triatoma - Bloodsucking Conenose immature

It reminds me of this. Hopefully I'm on the right track, and this is helpful. We'll have to see what the experts say.
Welcome to Bugguide!

… Andrew Williams, 20 October, 2009 - 3:56pm

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Yeah...

I think some people call them kissing bugs too, so that would add up.

… Andrew Meeds, 20 October, 2009 - 4:20pm

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Seconded.

That is exactly what this is, an immature Triatoma. Benson is quite a hotbed for these because of the large population of wood rats (Neotoma) that are the kissing bug's preferred host.

… Eric R. Eaton, 21 October, 2009 - 8:23am

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Thanks

Thanks everyone for the help! I feel relieved now that we know what it is. We do have pack rats in our area, and our cats have killed them and brought them in the house. I am assuming that is how these kissing bugs got in the house.

… christinew, 21 October, 2009 - 10:38am

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