Laboratory rearing of the kissing bugs, Triatoma rubida and T. gerstaeckeri (Hemiptera: Reduviidae), in New Mexico using an artificial feeding system

Kissing bugs are blood-feeding insects capable of transmitting Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease, through their feces. In the United States, eleven species of kissing bugs have been documented, with more than 50% species carrying T. cruzi. Understanding their biology is crucial for assessing disease transmission risk; however, limited information exists on their life history in the U.S. This research focuses on the biological development of two kissing bug species Triatoma rubida (Uhler) and T. gerstaeckeri (Stål). They were collected from four locations in New Mexico and reared under laboratory conditions using an artificial feeding system with defibrinated rabbit blood. Nymphs of both species were grouped by molting date, fed biweekly, and monitored for development. Nymphs of both species required multiple blood meals to molt. However, the majority of first instars successfully molted after a single blood meal (84.29% in T. rubida and 85.71% in T. gerstaeckeri). Pre-feeding intervals ranged from 6.32 to 16.37 days in T. rubida and from 8.65 to 15.32 days in T. gerstaeckeri. The stadium duration of each instar was relatively similar between species, with both completing development. Overall, developmental times were longer than in previous studies using live animals. Feeding factors (such as extended lag times between feeding, etc.) associated with the artificial feeding system likely contributed to the prolonged nymphal development in both species in our study.