![Kissing bugs, a cute name with not so cute side effects, spiking in Texas](https://www.ksat.com/resizer/epLSKcf0Xgz6wU44QaBARNEB3Jw=/1600x900/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/d1vhqlrjc8h82r.cloudfront.net/07-28-2020/t_ce6e703e30ab4344a4016a5c902a509e_name_image.jpg)
Kissing bugs, a cute name with not so cute side effects, spiking in Texas
SAN ANTONIO โ When you get bit by a kissing bug, you may not even know it because the bite isnโt very painful. But experts with Texas A&M AgriLife Research say that bite can affect you down the road because kissing bugs are known to spread Chagas disease. Chagas is caused by a parasite in blood-feeding insects, like kissing bugs. Kissing bugs, when fully grown, are about an inch long and they can live for about a year. To prevent kissing bugs from hanging around your home, clear out any brush or areas where rodents or critters hang around, which are what the bugs feed on.
![What does COVID-19 stand for, anyway? A complete coronavirus glossary](https://www.ksat.com/resizer/432HEfHixRm4Jhj30yNBO0yCIfw=/1600x1066/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-gmg.s3.amazonaws.com/public/F7HQPEXHBVDKTKQXKPT3KWYNFM.jpg)
What does COVID-19 stand for, anyway? A complete coronavirus glossary
Does anyone else feel like weโre in the midst of some pretty unsettling times? Even if youโre trying to keep a level head about where things stand with the coronavirus pandemic, itโs easy to turn on the TV or open social media and start to feel pretty overwhelmed, pretty quickly. For some, you canโt go out to eat, youโre now working from home and your kids arenโt even going to school. And with that, we thought weโd provide the following playbook. Yes, there is some science jargon involved here, but we tried to break it down for you in a way thatโs easy to read and digestible.