About the Eastern Bloodsucking Conenose
Triatoma sanguisuga, also known as the eastern bloodsucking conenose, is an insect of the Triatominae subfamily, known as kissing bugs. It was first described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1855 and named Conorhinus sanguisuga.
They are generally 16 to 21 mm long, black or dark brown, with six reddish-orange spots along each side of a wide abdomen. They are winged, have kinked, six-segmented antennae, and have a slender, tapered proboscis used for feeding.
It is found throughout North America and Latin America, and is common in the Southeastern United States.. Its range within the eastern United States is south of Pennsylvania, in the midwest north to Ohio and Missouri and in the southwest to Arizona.
The female Triatoma sanguisuga typically lays eggs four to six days after a blood meal. One female may lay hundreds of eggs in its lifetime. After the egg hatches, the immature bug takes a blood meal and molts eight times before reaching maturity. Triatoma sanguisuga feeds on blood from mammals such as raccoons, rats, dogs, cats, and humans. In addition, tree frogs can be a significant source of food. Wikipedia →