This is an adult female Kissing Bug (likely a Triatoma gertaeckeri). This photograph was taken in Hutchins, Texas and comes to us courtesy of Penny Halstead.
These bugs are attracted to the warmth of breath and body heat, and like mosquitos, they feed on their host’s blood. The Kissing Bug is a vector for Chagas disease, which is rarely seen in the United States.
Observation Details
| County | – | Dallas |  |
| City | – | Hutchins | |
| Date | – | Jun 22, 2013 | |
| Time of Day | – | Noon | |
| Temperature | – | Hot (greater than 89°F/32°C) | |
| Weather | – | Partly Cloudy | |
| Habitat | – | Recreation-Park | |
| Type of Behavior | – | Stationary | |
| Gender | – | Female | |
| Maturity | – | Adult | |
| Observer | – | Penny Halstead | |
| Main Article | – | Kissing Bug | Observation Location |
