Kissing bugs, or triatomines, are nocturnal insects that feed on the blood of humans and animals. They tend to hide during the day and become active at night, biting people while they sleep. Their saliva contains a numbing agent, making the bites painless and often unnoticed.
These bugs are attracted to the carbon dioxide humans exhale, which is why they tend to bite around the mouth and eyes, leaving clusters of bites on the face.
While they typically live in wooded areas and the nests of rodents or birds, kissing bugs can enter homes through small openings like cracks or torn screens.
Kissing bugs are particularly concerning in South and Central America and Mexico, where they are associated with Chagas disease.
