Report #3244 - Report: Western Conifer Seed Bug (Leptoglossus occidentalis)

Western Conifer Seed Bug (Leptoglossus occidentalis) on Oct 4, 2020

Originally reported as Assassin Bugs (family Reduviidae)

Submitter has sample

Description of specimen

My wife and I think we may have found an Assassin Bug in our bedroom. Not 100% but as we both have experience traveling and living in regions with Chagas, we wanted to double check.

This is a patterned brown climbing insect with prominent hind legs and long, spade shaped body and prominent antennae emerging from a small head. We have a specimen in a jar.

Commentary

Dear Andrew, thank you for reporting this bug. This is a native western seed conifer seed bug, Leptoglossus occidentalis. It is in the same Order, Hemiptera, than the assassin bug, but in a different family, Coreidae, instead the family of Reduviidae. Oregon does have a few species of the Assassin bug family, Reduviidae, but not the species, Triatoma infestans, that transmit the Chagas disease. So, again, the bug in your picture is the native western conifer seed bug, Leptoglossus occidentalis. Thank you, Helmuth Rogg
Here is a link:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_conifer_seed_bug

Helmuth Rogg
Oct. 4, 2020, 11:49 p.m.

Western Conifer Seed Bug (Leptoglossus occidentalis) on Oct 4, 2020

Description of specimen

Commentary

Resources

Location

Expert Reviewer