Kissing bugs, also known as triatomine bugs or conenose bugs, are insects found in certain regions of the Americas. They feed on the blood of vertebrates, including humans. A common question is whether these insects can fly. Understanding their movement helps clarify how they interact with human environments.
Their Aerial Abilities
Many species of kissing bugs can fly, but only adult insects have wings. Flight is not their primary daily travel method; it is often used for dispersal or seeking mates and hosts. Adult kissing bugs are active flyers during warmer months, from May through October, with peak activity in summer.
These insects fly at night and are attracted to artificial light sources, including lights around and inside homes. This attraction may be due to navigational confusion, as insects orient themselves by tilting their backs toward the brightest light. Warm evening temperatures and low wind speeds influence their flight activity. Kissing bugs are poor flyers, and well-fed individuals are less likely to fly. Their dispersal flights can cover distances up to 3.5 miles.
Movement on the Ground
While adult kissing bugs can fly, their most common movement method, especially indoors, is crawling. Immature kissing bugs, or nymphs, are wingless and rely on crawling to find blood sources. This mobility allows them to navigate various surfaces and environments. Kissing bugs can enter homes through small openings, such as cracks in foundations, gaps around doors and windows, or open chimney flues.
Once inside, they seek sheltered, dark areas during the day, hiding in cracks, under furniture, or in pet bedding. Their ground movement is important for finding hosts, as they are attracted to the carbon dioxide exhaled by humans and animals, as well as body warmth and odors. This enables them to locate sleeping hosts at night to feed.
Why Their Movement Matters
Understanding how kissing bugs move is important for public awareness and reducing potential contact. Their attraction to lights and ability to fly means they can inadvertently enter homes, especially during their peak dispersal season. Knowing that adult bugs can fly to lights emphasizes the benefit of turning off outdoor lights at night or using “bug light” bulbs to deter them.
Their ground movement highlights the importance of maintaining a secure home environment. Sealing cracks and gaps in walls, around windows and doors, and ensuring screens are in good repair can limit their entry points. Recognizing that nymphs cannot fly and crawl suggests that finding them indoors might indicate a nearby breeding population. Observing their movement patterns helps identify their presence and avoid interaction.