Summertime is great, but it also brings along with it ticks, mosquitos, and other pests. Just when we thought we had enough bugs to deal with, along came the assassin bug. Many people have likely never heard of this insect before, but their populations are on the rise, and their bite can be quite serious. Thankfully, if you know more about it, you’ll be able to better deal with a bite if it were to happen to you or a loved one.

Assassin bugs (also called “kissing bugs”) are similar to many other insect species in the way that they feed on human and animal blood. When they bite, they usually defecate on the site, which transfers the parasites that live in their digestive systems onto the person or animal they’ve come into contact with. In certain cases, this can lead to Chagas disease. The symptoms of Chagas disease often change over the course of infection, but in serious cases, it can even cause death. This is why you want to protect yourself from the assassin bug if possible.