Species Triatoma sanguisuga - Eastern Blood-sucking Conenose

Triatoma sanguisuga (LeConte 1855)

16-21 mm

Medium-sized, boldly patterned in dark brown to black with reddish markings. Beak tapered, not curved, as in Reduvius, and bare(1)(2)

key to spp. in Lent & Wygodzinsky (1979)(3)

CDC notes the following characters--see their web page:

e. US (NH-ON to FL-TX) - Map (1)(4)

Nests of small mammals; may invade houses. Nocturnal.

Blood of mammals, especially Eastern Wood Rat, Neotoma floridana.

After mating and finding a host, adults no longer fly; female scatters many eggs after blood meal (usually May-Sep); nymphs have 8 instars and usually take two years to mature (entire life cycle 3 yrs)(2)

Sometimes bites humans, and the bite may be severe, causing an allergic reaction

"The mechanism of infection from Chagas' disease is not via feeding but instead through contamination of the wound or other bodily portals by fecal material during or shortly after feeding. Although North American Triatoma species have tested positive for T. cruzi, Chagas' disease is much less of a concern in the U.S. because the North American Triatoma delay defecation until 20-30 minutes post-feeding. By this time, they are usually no longer in contact with the sleeping human." - Kissing bugs (Triatoma) and the skin

Triatoma lecticularia