My girlfriend found this while cleaning the apartment. She is dead set that she thinks its a "kissing bug". But I think they are common in the southern US not up here.
Need insect ID
- Thread starter evilxyardxgnome
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It is some member of the "True Bug" family, which are insects with piercing, sucking mouth parts. It might be some type of assassin bug or a type of squash bug.
Well my girlfriend thinks since it might be a kissing bug that we need to go to the doctors immediately because they carry diseases I guess and thats what this one website told her to do.
---XR---;1171554; said:
hah. That would be why when I squished it my buddy said it smelled like crap...
---XR---;1171554; said:
They do stink! And stink bugs are related to the insect above. You can also tell that an insect is a member of the true bug family because they don't have a protective shell over their wings. Also, their wings cross over making a "V" or "X" on their back.
Ryan, usually, and I say usually, people don't get sick in the US from being bitten by this type of bug. But you really have to watch out for these guys in Latin America. They tend to bite near the corner of your mouth where the two lips meet and the skin is soft. They seek out CO2, thats why they bite around the mouth of mammals.
Here's a link with some pictures of Assassin bugs that might live up by you. The only one we have to worry about in the Northern US is the Easter Bloodsucking Conenose, which doesn't look like your bug.
http://bugguide.net/node/view/4789/bgimage
http://bugguide.net/node/view/4789/bgimage
If it is only about a half inch long it could be what we call coffee bugs as they have an odor somewhat like coffee. If so they feed on plant juices like stink bugs. Assassin bugs are also called kissing bugs due to their habit of biting near the mouth (as mentioned by viscious fish, they are more common in the southwest and down through CA and SA where they carry both equine sleeping sickness and chagas disease.
Go to www.bugguide.net and search for kissing bug and assassin bug. It will give you an idea of what you are looking at.
Go to www.bugguide.net and search for kissing bug and assassin bug. It will give you an idea of what you are looking at.