Kissing Bugs and Nestlings
(click on a photo to enlarge)
Every spring there’s usually a news alert about the emergence of a genus (Triatoma) of the Asassin Bug Family commonly known as “Kissing Bugs” or “Conenose Bugs”. The species found around here is T. rubida. The warnings are to be careful about letting these insects into your house because the stealthy little buggers are looking to bite you — and they seem to prefer lips or other soft body parts. They will secret themselves into bedding and inflict a painless bite while you sleep. They’re attracted to warm-blooded mammals for their meals and are commonly found in pack rat dens. No warm-blooded creature is immune from these predators. There are many species of Triatoma, most found in the tropics, and there they can carry a serious disease called Chagas Disease. While a few cases of this disease have appeared in the southern U.S., this is not a major concern. However, some people can have serious allergic reactions to the bites.
Kissing Bug (Triatoma rubida)
We had been careful to avoid disturbing the sleeping phoebes, but one night I turned on the porch light and looked up at the nest. What did I find besides four sleeping phoebes? About a half-dozen Triatoma rubida hovering around the nest! What to do? Were these insects a threat to baby birds? It’s commonly known that blowflies lay eggs in the nests of birds and the larvae feed on the blood of nestlings, sometimes making the birds very anemic and too weak to fledge. We decided to carefully crush the bugs we could reach with a long pole. They were full of red blood! Insects don’t have red blood cells–only a clear substance called hemolymph that circulates in their bodies. The presence of the red blood indicated that the babies were being fed upon as they slept. We kept our nightly vigil until near fledging time when we felt the risk was too great that we might awaken and frighten the nestlings. We were relieved each morning to see alert young in the nest, moving about and eager to be fed.
Look at how they’ve grown and are fully feathered! This photo was taken on day 20 after hatching.
Waiting For a Food Delivery
The “Birder’s Handbook” indicated that Say’s Phoebes fledge between 16 and 21 days. Day 21 came and went and the phoebes remained in their nest. It did make us wonder if they needed the extra time to gain strength from the Kissing Bugs feeding on them every night for who knows how long.
We’re Not Going Anywhere
They did finally (and successfully fledge) on day 22 after hatching. My next post will show some videos of the young as they neared fledge day.
Published by Arlene Ripley on June 23rd, 2009 Tagged Arizona, Birds, Cochise County, Nature
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