Ontario residents mistook box elder bugs for dangerous kissing bugs; experts confirm no kissing bugs or Chagas cases in Canada.

In late September 2025, Ontario residents reported seeing bugs resembling kissing bugs, but experts confirm these are likely box elder bugs, not the disease-carrying kissing bugs found in the southern U.S. Kissing bugs, which can transmit Chagas disease, have not been found in Canada, where only two Chagas cases have been recorded, both from blood transfusions. Box elder bugs are harmless, non-biting insects that gather in fall to hibernate in homes, causing no property damage or health risks, though they emit a foul odor when crushed. Other common fall invaders include stink bugs, Asian lady beetles, and cluster flies.