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What is the vinchuca?
The kissing bedbug or vinchuca (its scientific
name is Triatoma infestans) is an insect
of strictly domiciliary and peridomiciliary habits.
Where can they be found?
They prefer to live in houses in the rural areas
that have walls made of mud and roofs of straw,
a little disorganized and dirty inside. They also
prefer places like henhouses, animal pens and
deposits.
Is it possible to find them in other places?
Eventually, some insects can be found in clean
houses. This might happen because: first, the
inhabitants of the house travel to endemic zones
and without knowing it, transported the insect
in the baggage or clothing; and second, by pilling
materials like wood from those areas.
What does the vinchuca look like?
The vinchuca is an insect that eats blood from
human beings and other warm blooded animals. They
present different forms according to their growth
that go from 2 mm to 2 cm. Their color is dun.
They have 2 protuberances in the head that function
as eyes, 6 legs and a pair of antennas. Their
body is flat but when they eat their abdomen swells,
and rise their wings which are normally folded.
How's the growing process?
They reproduce by eggs which are 2 or 3 mm. The
eggs are white but when the evolution of the embryo
is completed, their color change to pink. From
the egg stage to the adult stage, the vinchuca
have to go through 5 growing stages.
How long is the evolutionary cycle of the
insect?
From the egg stage to the adult stage it might
last 8 months to 1 year
How long can the vinchuca survive fasting?
Their resistance to fasting is very big. The fifth
stage nymph (previous to the adult stage) survives
6 months without food
How many time does the vinchuca live?
From the adult stage, the insect may live 1 or
2 years.
Is it possible to see the insect during the
day?
It is not very common because during the day they
hide
Can the vinchucas live in cold places?
Yes, since this is an insect from warm climates
and due to its domiciliary habits, the best place
for its growing is the house. That's why the warmth
of the houses makes the survival of the insect
easier. This reason explains the discovery of
insects in hot endemic zones.
What are endemic zones?
They are zones where there is an active transmission
of the Trypanosoma cruzi, resulting in new cases
every year.
Source of Information
• La Vinchuca
Federacion Argentina de Cardiologia
Foro de Educación Continua en Cardiologia
http://www.fac.org.ar/fec/chagas/fatala/vinchuc.htm
More Information
• The Kissing Bug
• Development
• Geographic
zones
• Life habits
• Other infectious
species
• Biological
Information
• Frequently Asked Questions
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