title: The Western Conifer Seed Bug (Hemiptera: Coreidae) Has the Potential to Bite Humans.
abstract: Among true bugs (Insecta: Hemiptera), only hematophagous species (families Reduviidae, Cimicidae) have high veterinary and medical significance. In addition, several predatory and plant-feeding bug species, which also have piercing-sucking mouthparts, are known to occasionally bite humans. The majority of such examples are known from the New World. Here, we report the first case concerning the human-biting potential of the western conifer seed bug, Leptoglossus occidentalis Heidemann (Hemiptera: Coreidae). This is a phytophagous bug species, which has become widespread in North America, and has also been introduced into Europe where it shows a rapidly expanding geographical range.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest 1078, Hungary.
authors.forename: Sándor
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hornok
authors.affiliation: Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest 1022, Hungary.
authors.forename: Jeno
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kontschán
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D020062:Heteroptera / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary; D007299:Insect Bites and Stings / Q000473:pathology*; D058865:Introduced Species
keywords: phytophagous bug; piercing–sucking mouthpart; skin lesion