Triatoma lecticularia vs Deer Ked

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Triatoma lecticularia Deer Ked
Scientific Name Triatoma lecticularia Lipoptena cervi
Order Hemiptera Diptera
Family Reduviidae Hippoboscidae
Size 16-21 mm 5-7 mm
Habitat Woodlands Woodlands
Diet Blood Feeders Blood Feeders
Regions Southeastern United States Europe, Asia, introduced to North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Triatoma lecticularia

A kissing bug found across the southeastern United States that occasionally invades homes. Its name references its historical association with beds.

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Did You Know?

Its species name 'lecticularia' derives from the Latin for 'small bed,' reflecting early encounters in sleeping quarters.

Deer Ked

A flattened, reddish-brown blood-sucking fly that sheds its wings upon finding a deer host. It clings tenaciously to the hair with strong claws and feeds on blood throughout its life.

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Did You Know?

After landing on a host, it breaks off its own wings permanently, spending the rest of its life as a wingless ectoparasite.