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Post by rikita on Mar 31, 2024 17:14:18 GMT -5
found what to me looks like a kissing bug in my bedroom (in northern italy). since they are new to europe i am not quite sure how to proceed. i coaxed it out the window and did a quick check of the girls' room (but not that thorough, as it is late and they were starting to panick because i was looking for bugs - they're now still awake past midnight). should i sorry, just because i saw one? i already slept in the room one night, no idea when it oft in, though ... and no idea whether they even carry disease here ...
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Post by ozziegiraffe on Mar 31, 2024 18:15:01 GMT -5
I had to Google kissing bug. Apparently they’re known as assassin bugs in Australia. Maybe Liiisa could help, as they’re found mostly in the Americas.
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Post by wombatrois on Mar 31, 2024 20:10:45 GMT -5
And I thought it was an April fool's joke ...
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Post by fishface on Mar 31, 2024 21:41:48 GMT -5
I thought this would be about epstein barr/glandular fever!
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Post by Phar Lap on Mar 31, 2024 21:53:37 GMT -5
Ooh horrible looking things. I’m sorry I googled. And here’s me thinking kissing bugs was about catching germs from kissing someone!
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Post by Liiisa on Apr 1, 2024 6:04:59 GMT -5
Yeah, they can carry Chagas' disease, which isn't a great thing. They're also called a "blood-sucking conenose" - delightful insects (not).
I was all ready to say "but they haven't spread to Europe yet," but I just found an article showing that they have - of course in far fewer numbers than here. Some of the ones in Europe have been found to carry the disease, but again, not all of them do. There's also a chance that it was a different assassin bug (they all do look rather alike, and the other ones are mostly a threat to other insects). So my point being that in your position I'd probably assume I was ok (but maybe subtly look for any more before going to sleep tonight).
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Post by rikita on Apr 1, 2024 13:37:55 GMT -5
checked now, quickly, and didn't see any, unless they tend to hide. might show the photo to someone back home when i returns, just in case (like, i suppose in the tropics institute they'd also know where in Europe there have been cases of the disease) ... but maybe it came in the same day i found it or is the wrong kind, anyway ...
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Post by rikita on Apr 2, 2024 4:13:27 GMT -5
found another one. this time i caught it under a glass so it can be identified. a. is upset that i am letting an animal starve to death, though, but i read you aren't supposed to squish them ...
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Post by Liiisa on Apr 2, 2024 5:29:37 GMT -5
Hope it turns out to just be some random other bug.
a is so sweet! It is sad that even if you love insects, you have to kill them sometimes. You'd think entomologists would be people who love insects the most, and they end up killing them a lot, for museum collections. It's important for science but upsetting.
Plus hello a, if it really is a kissing bug then what it wants to eat is to suck your blood, so letting it starve is in your own self-interest. Nature red in tooth & claw and all that
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Post by rikita on Apr 2, 2024 13:27:19 GMT -5
sent a photo of the one i caught to a friend, and they think it is a western conifer seed bug...
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Post by Liiisa on Apr 2, 2024 13:46:42 GMT -5
That’s good news! I didn’t know what those looked like so i looked them up, and the wiki said “In Chile, it has been confused with kissing bugs (Triatominae), causing unjustified alarm.”
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Post by rikita on Apr 2, 2024 15:32:16 GMT -5
Yeah they are very similar it seems. i found a website pointing pur tue difference, so now i know i am safe.
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Post by Liiisa on Apr 2, 2024 16:07:36 GMT -5
Such a relief, and a cool lesson for a!
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