"Kissing Bug" Triatoma rubida care?

[chanda]

I found a bloodsucking conenose and was hoping to keep it alive for a bit. Has anybody ever tried keeping these? I'm not terribly keen on the idea of letting it bite me, even though I know Chagas is not really all that common in Arizona (where the bug is from) and is only transmitted when a bug carrying Trypanosoma cruzi defecates in the feeding wounds (or other open wound) - but however unlikely transmission might be, I'd really rather not take the chance. I would be willing to get blood for it by doing a finger prick - but can it take "loose" blood like that? What if the blood were on a bit of tissue or cotton or something? I would really appreciate any advice! Thanks!

 

[The wolf]

You could try using a vial of blood with something stretched over it similar to skin, I would heat it first,see if that works

 

[sschind]

I found a bloodsucking conenose and was hoping to keep it alive for a bit. Has anybody ever tried keeping these? I'm not terribly keen on the idea of letting it bite me, even though I know Chagas is not really all that common in Arizona (where the bug is from) and is only transmitted when a bug carrying Trypanosoma cruzi defecates in the feeding wounds (or other open wound) - but however unlikely transmission might be, I'd really rather not take the chance. I would be willing to get blood for it by doing a finger prick - but can it take "loose" blood like that? What if the blood were on a bit of tissue or cotton or something? I would really appreciate any advice! Thanks!

View attachment 277781 View attachment 277782

I just read something interesting in the past few weeks about chagas disease but I'm not sure where (I've been reading and listening to several books about bugs at the same time recently so they kind of run together ) According to the author the assassin bugs that are most likely to transmit chagas disease are more tropical and they tend to defecate while feeding which makes them more likely to pass on the disease while the more northern species (it was specifically said North America) tend to delay defecation until well after feeding which makes transmission less likely. The book may have been "Wicked Bugs" by Amy Stewart but I also just finished "The Sting of the Wild" by Justin Smith of the famous insect sting pain scale (a great book by the way, I highly recommend it.) But there may have been something about it in "Do Elephants Have Knees" by Charles R Ault Jr. I haven't finished that one yet.

This is not medical advice and I am not suggesting you let the bug bite you just because you found it in North America. Just thought it was interesting.

 

[pannaking22]

I don't think they can really lap it up, I think they have to suck it out of something. Loose blood on a finger might work, but I feel it would want to make its way to the prick point and work on that instead. I like the vial idea, that's probably what I would do.

Triatomines are super cool, I found one at work a couple months ago and another one while out collecting (found near lights both times).

 

[chanda]

I just read something interesting in the past few weeks about chagas disease but I'm not sure where (I've been reading and listening to several books about bugs at the same time recently so they kind of run together ) According to the author the assassin bugs that are most likely to transmit chagas disease are more tropical and they tend to defecate while feeding which makes them more likely to pass on the disease while the more northern species (it was specifically said North America) tend to delay defecation until well after feeding which makes transmission less likely. The book may have been "Wicked Bugs" by Amy Stewart but I also just finished "The Sting of the Wild" by Justin Smith of the famous insect sting pain scale (a great book by the way, I highly recommend it.) But there may have been something about it in "Do Elephants Have Knees" by Charles R Ault Jr. I haven't finished that one yet.

This is not medical advice and I am not suggesting you let the bug bite you just because you found it in North America. Just thought it was interesting.

I was just reading about them last night, and the study I read (which was focused specifically on the Arizona T. rubida) said that 93% of the adult females defecated during feeding, but none of the adult males did so. I forget the percentages of the nymphs that defecated during feeding, but it was pretty low, though there were a number of them that would feed a little, leave for a bit, then come back for more, and the ones who had multiple feedings would often defecate between feedings, when they might still be on the host and in proximity to a bite site. (For the study they used an artifical feeder instead of a live host.) Their feeder sounded interesting - but far too complicated for me, with a magnetic stirrer and heparinized blood. They used a thin latex membrane over the blood chamber, so perhaps I can try that over a tiny vial or something with a drop or two of blood in it. As long as the bug is hungry and goes for it before the blood coagulates, it might work.

 

[pannaking22]

They do something similar in the mosquito lab I used to work in. Requires fewer permits and less paperwork lol. A latex membrane should do the trick.

 

[Smokehound714]

the easiest way is to give them live pinkies but no compassionate human being would ever do that lol

 

[Veles]

the easiest way is to give them live pinkies but no compassionate human being would ever do that lol

I.......fed water bugs live pinkies.
Its not that hard.

 

[arachnoherp]

Can these climb easilly on glass or plastic?

 

[Smokehound714]

I.......fed water bugs live pinkies.
Its not that hard.

yeah but waterbugs kill their prey swiftly with a massive injection of hydrochloric acid

 

[Veles]

yeah but waterbugs kill their prey swiftly with a massive injection of hydrochloric acid

Still.
Bloodloss is not exactly a painful death per say.