In the areas where triatomine bugs have not adapted to human habitations, colonies of these insects have been found in houses occupied by sylvatic or sinanthropic mammals. Bloodmeal identifications from triatomine collected in human habitations and their surroundings usually correlate with those from specimens collected in natural biotopes, when two groups of data are considered, those from birds and mammals. This information related to the food preferences of the more fully studied triatomine and the occurrence of the pre-adaptation to changes in environmental and feeding conditions, well known in many animal groups, led to the following conclusions: 1 - The colonization of human habitations by triatomine is, generally independent of the type of habitation. 2 - The fundamental determining factor for the colonization of an artificial biotope by triatomine is the vertebrate class that lives in it. 3 - Some species occur in human habitations and others in bird nests as a consequence of pre-adaptation. The insect species is a multi-feeder in its natural environment and has a preference for the class of vertebrate inhabiting the biotope. 4 - The above mentioned conclusion indicates that predictions in regard to future colonization of human habitations can be made and this is specially important for the Amazon Region.
Triatomine; Triatominae