Triatomine Vector of Chagas´ Disease

This is one of the vectors of Chagas' Disease (American Trypanosomiasis) in the American Southwest and Northern Mexico. It is normally associated with small mammal hosts and opossums, living in their nests. It can become a problem for humans in rustic cabin situations and for campers. The bug is blood feeding in all 5 nymphal instars and both adult males and females. This leads to a greater possibility of infection with Trypanosoma cruzi as the bug ages. Transmission to a host mammal (any mammal) however, is not through the bite but through contamination with infected bug fecal material. How quickly a bug species defecates during or after feeding is one of the primary factors which determine the vector importance of any given species.
While exploring Arches National Park in northern Utah, we were returning to our car after dark through a broad scrub filled valley with flashlights. My husband said "something just landed on my vest". I went to look and he had this very Triatomine heading up towards his neck. I followed it all around him taking pictures in utter amazement (pictures 2 and 3). We then collected him (it is an adult male) and have since fed him several times taking care not let any fecal material come in contact with the host animal. In the last picture you can see where it has defecated after feeding. Fortunately, this species does not defecate immediately after feeding, reducing the possibility of host contamination (unless a rodent eats an infected bug). What is worrisome however, is that this bug actively sought out a human host in one of the National Parks and could definitely represent a danger to the many campers that populate the parks during the summer months. It could easily have fed on my husband and stayed within his clothing if we had not known what it was. They can enter tents and stay hidden there, feeding when campers are sleeping. Contact with fresh feces can also occur from contaminated objects within the tent or cabin. Family Reduviidae, Subfamily Triatominae. There are some other predaceous Reduviids which look like a Triatomine, however, predaceous Reduviids have a curved proboscis whereas Triatomines have straight probosces (see Pictures 5 and 6).