Kissing bugs, often referred to as cone-nose bugs, are insects found between the southern United States and South America. Kissing bugs can be disease vectors, meaning they can carry and transmit disease. These bugs need blood to survive, and are known to feed on rodents, bats, birds, pets, and humans. Few types of kissing bugs live in people's homes, but geography and animals may encourage them to do so.
Kissing bugs take shelter during the day, and feed at night, which is how people get bitten while sleeping. Kissing bugs can affect humans and pets by transmitting the Trypanosoma cruzi parasite through their feces, the cause of Chagas disease. This happens only rarely in the United States. Not all bugs can lead to infection because relatively few of them carry the parasite. A rash or allergic reaction to a bite does not mean you’ve been infected.
Kissing bugs start their life without wings and are less than 1/10 of an inch in size, but grow wings and become bigger as adults (3/4 - 1 1/4 inch). Adults can produce a strong odor when bothered, similar to stink bugs.
Control tips:
- If you suspect you may have kissing bugs, check for clues like feces and eggs. Feces may be spread on walls and can be both white and dark, and usually look like stripes. Eggs can be found in wall crevices and are mostly white or pinkish.
- Consider using an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach including sealing cracks and gaps to prevent kissing bugs from entering your home. Check windows, walls, roofs, and doors. Use screens on doors and windows.
- Kissing bugs may hide where you and your pets sleep. Wash fabrics and bedding in hot water or dry on high heat.
- Vacuum carpets, pet areas, and baseboard crevices to remove larvae and eggs. Vacuum mattresses and under bedroom furniture.
- Kissing bugs can be attracted by light. Consider turning off lights near homes and kennels at night.
- Kissing bugs may live with rodents. Discourage kissing bugs and rodents by removing yard debris and keeping vegetation low. Remove wood, brush, and rock piles or other places rodents may live.
- If you find a bug you suspect to be a kissing bug, don't touch it. Capture it using a jar or plastic bag and freeze it to keep it in good shape for later identification.
- Your local county extension service may be able to provide information about kissing bug presence in your area, identification, and control methods.
If you have questions about this, or any pesticide-related topic, please call NPIC at 800-858-7378 (8:00am - 12:00pm PST), or email us at npic@oregonstate.edu.
