Feeding, defecation and development times of Triatoma lecticularia (Heteroptera: Reduviidae) under laboratory conditions

Triatoma lecticularia is a secondary vector of Trypanosoma cruzi on the Norteastern part of Mexico and Southwestern area of the United States. This species is mainly found on the wild, because of that, its biology and behavior is unknown. Some behavioral parameters (about feeding and defecation) were studied. Development time for the complete cycle from egg to adult was of 234.9 ± 20.6, whereas mortality was 75.6% (the highest was on first instar nymphs, 41.4%). Mean feeding times were over 20 min in most of the studied instars, whereas mean defecation times were lower than ten min in all the studied instars. This species had a medium long development time and a high mortality rate, on the other hand, it had long feeding times, and fast defecation times. According to most studied parameters, T. lecticularia could become a more important vector if one of those species living sympatrically with it was eliminated by the people or by some other ecological factors on its distribution areas.