Beyond blood: the flexibility of triatomine bug food search and recognition

Abstract

Kissing bugs are known for being skilled blood-feeders on warm-blooded hosts, using cues like carbon dioxide, infrared radiation, and skin odors to locate them. They depend on heat to direct their bites and use gustatory signals for feeding decisions. Recent evidence suggests that they also feed on cold-blooded animals and insects. This implies that they may respond to other sensory cues, such as slight temperature changes, vibrations, and/or odors, to trigger biting attempts. Besides, new studies reveal that triatomines can ingest plant or fruit fluids, showing a broader dietary flexibility than previously recognized. Future research should focus on how triatomines detect and respond to sensory cues from poikilothermic hosts or plant fluids, and how these sensory inputs influence their feeding behavior. Understanding their sensory abilities and dietary flexibility could have important implications for vector surveillance and control, offering insights into the evolutionary shift from predatory to blood-feeding behaviors.