When I moved out to the country, I was warned about kissing bugs. What is a kissing bug?
A kiss in not a kiss if it is inflicted instead of offered, which is the case with one local species of assassin bug called the Western Conenose. This 3/4-inch, brown-black nocturnal insect has wings that form a distinctive “X” when folded over the abdomen. It also goes by the name “kissing bug” or, as it is known in Latin America, “vinchuca.” Adult kissing bugs are most often encountered in summer and fall, and are readily attracted to lights. They tend to remain hidden during the day in vegetation or in cracks in floors and walls. Entrance into dwellings can be reduced by repairing damaged screens on windows and doors, placing barriers over open vents, and using non-white lights outdoors. Removal of wood rat nests near homes in more rural areas also will reduce the number of bugs.. See our Field Guide for more about the kissing bug.
