An official website of the State of Georgia.
The .gov means it’s official.
Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. State of Georgia government websites and email systems use “georgia.gov” or “ga.gov” at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you’re on an official state website.
Still not sure?
Call 1-800-GEORGIA to verify that a website is an official website of the State of Georgia.
Every year, DPH gets calls from people worried they've found a kissing bug. Most of the time, the bug turns out to be something else. Kissing bugs have a cone-shaped head, long thin antennae, and a flat, shield-like back with orange or red stripes along the edges. Several other bugs in Georgia look similar and are often mistaken for them. The boxelder bug (A) has a narrow black body with bright orange-red lines and is often found in groups on trees or house siding. The brown stink bug (B) has a wider, shield-shaped body with mottled brown and gray markings and banded antennae. The wheel bug (C) is a large, spiky-legged bug with a distinctive gear-shaped ridge on its back. The squash bug (D) has a long brown body and flattened, leaf-shaped hind legs. None of these bugs spread Chagas disease.
If you are curious about your exposure to a kissing bug, you can submit a photo through the Georgia Bug Identification Program form below. This identification service is free.