Kissing Bugs Give Dangerous Kisses

Summary: Kissing bugs sound like the perfect pest for a holiday all about love, but their “kisses” (bites) are riskier than they seem. This blog discusses each aspect of the kissing bug’s feeding habits, from their basic features to their nighttime activities to the way they spread Chagas disease. Green Pest Services provides efficient services for any pest problem on the East coast.

Happy (early) Valentine’s Day from Green Pest Services! This holiday is full of lovey-dovey gifts and decorations, which understandably isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. But humans aren’t the only ones that are capable of showing affection. If there’s any pest that sounds like the poster child for Valentine’s Day, it’s the kissing bug.

This sounds like a fake pest from your favorite childhood cartoon, but it’s a real bug! Kissing bugs got their name from their habit of biting people near the mouth. This is threatening enough, but exactly how dangerous are these bugs? Let’s find out by discussing the basic facts of kissing bugs before diving into the biggest risk with these pests.

The Basics Of Kissing (Bugs)

Much to our disappointment — and maybe a bit of relief — kissing bugs look like your average bugs. They’re nocturnal and hide during the day, so it’s easy to miss them. That’s why it’s important to know their physical attributes in the event that you do find kissing bugs hiding in your home.

Kissing bugs are:

• Black or dark-brown in color
• Spotted with reddish dots on the edges of their bodies
• Up to 1 inch long
• Thin-legged
• Equipped with a thin mouthpart (like a mosquito)

Another noteworthy fact of kissing bugs is that they’re the only creatures known to spread Chagas disease. We’ll get into the details later, but keep this in mind as we get into the favorite habitats of these bugs.

The Living Situation

It may be a small comfort to know that the largest populations are in rural Latin America and Central America. In the United States, kissing bugs are usually found in southern and eastern states. They’re not as populous in urban areas — as opposed to bed bugs — but they still manage to sneak in where they can.

Kissing bugs only feed on warm blood, so they need to live near their food source if they want to survive. The most common areas that kissing bugs inhabit are cracks, wall gaps, furniture, beds, rodent nests, and pet beds. The bugs need to feed for several minutes at a time to be satisfied. Since they don’t need to fully attach (like ticks), kissing bugs can flee at the first sign of danger.

Risky Kisses

Due to their specialized diet, kissing bugs are only a threat to people and warm-blooded animals. The bugs aren’t dangerous until they bite us, so seeing one crawling around isn’t a surefire sign of doom. However, it’s a good idea to eliminate these bugs as soon as you see them. Their bites don’t hurt, but they’re not a fun time either.

A “kiss” is a nice way to phrase the itchy bite that each kissing bug gives its host. The itchiness becomes an issue when the bitten mammal scratches at the bites. This spreads the bug’s feces into the wounds (gross!), which potentially allows a parasite to infect the host with Chagas disease. At worst, the lasting effects can include an inflamed heart or abnormal heart rate.

What’s Chagas Disease?

While not every kissing bug carries Chagas disease, enough of them do that it’s worth giving an overview of the disease and its effects. It is spread through the bite of the infected kissing bug, not through being in close proximity to someone with Chagas disease.

As we previously said, the disease is spread when the bitten mammal scratches at the bites and spreads the kissing bug’s feces into their wounds. An infected bug has the parasite called trypomastigotes in its feces, which it leaves behind when the bug feeds on its host.

There are two phases of Chagas disease:

• Acute: This is the first couple of months after being infected. Most people are asymptomatic during this phase. Those who do show symptoms have swelling around the wounds and develop a fever.

• Chronic: People enter this phase when the Chagas disease is left untreated. Many are still asymptomatic, so it’s difficult to tell if you have the disease without getting tested. New heart issues can be a sign of undiagnosed chronic Chagas disease.

Chagas disease is typically able to be diagnosed by a blood test. Many people who have this disease never have any symptoms or lasting health effects. Still, it’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to this disease. It’s not worth ignoring the risk of an inflamed heart or irregular heart rate.

If you’re bitten by the kissing bug — most often around the mouth — please seek medical attention and get tested for Chagas disease as soon as you can.

Keeping The Kissing Bugs At Bay

In addition to kissing bugs not being the most common pests on the East Coast, another piece of good news is it’s quite easy to prevent them.

Our top kissing bug prevention tips are:

• Seal cracks — This is the most important step in preventing kissing bugs. Check your house’s exterior for cracks and gaps, and seal any you find with waterproof caulk.

• Check window and door screens — Kissing bugs slip in through flimsy or broken screens. Inspect your screens for gaps and rips, and replace any damaged screens with new mesh.

• Inspect your pet’s sleeping area — If you have a dog or cat, it’s a good idea to check their sleeping area for any bloodsucking pests (kissing bugs, fleas, ticks, etc.) regularly.

• Change your sheets — Kissing bugs don’t hide in mattresses like bed bugs, but they do hide in furniture crevices. Wash your sheets often, and inspect your bed for any hidden pests.

• Schedule consistent pest control services — When you receive pest control services on a regular basis, you have an expert keeping an eye on every sign of pest activity.

Make It A Green Valentine’s Day!

Valentine’s Day is the perfect excuse to deck out our homes in pink and red decorations (which we still enjoy doing). That being said, we recommend adding a new color to your Valentine’s decor this year: green! At Green Pest Services, our experienced technicians provide customized solutions for your pest issues. Thanks to our years of experience and tried-and-true treatments, our team is prepared to solve any pest problem you may have. Our top priority is always your complete satisfaction with our services.

The best Valentine’s gift you can give yourself (and your household) is relief from persistent pests. Contact us today for a free quote on our dependable services!

Citations

Chagas disease. (2025, January 24). Virginia Department of Health. Retrieved February 4, 2025, from https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/epidemiology/epidemiology-fact-sheets/chagas/

Harney, C. (2024, February 12). Kissing bugs: A kiss of risk. Romney Pest Control. Available at https://romneypestcontrol.com/kissing-bugs-a-kiss-of-risk/ (Accessed on February 4, 2025).

Kissing bugs. (2023, November 16). Northern Virginia Physicians to Women, Ltd. Retrieved February 4, 2025, from https://nvpwomen.com/womens-health/healthwise/?DOCHWID=abo5978

Kissing bugs & Chagas disease in the United States: FAQ. (n.d.). Texas A&M: Agriculture & Life Sciences. Retrieved February 4, 2025, from https://kissingbug.tamu.edu/faq/