Bionomics of Cimex adjunctus (Heteroptera: Cimicidae) in a Maternity Cave of Myotis austroriparius (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) (South Carolina, USA)

Abstract

Cimex adjunctus Barber was collected with pitfall traps and by hand in Santee Caves, South Carolina, USA. Santee Caves contain a maternity colony of Myotis austroriparius (Rhoads), the Southeastern Myotis bat. Cimex adjunctus was found only in the maternity chamber. My collection represents the first record of C. adjunctus in association with M. austroriparius. The sex ratio in the C. adjunctus population collected was 1:1 with 128 males, 128 females, and 755 nymphs. Predators of C. adjunctus in the cave environment included three spiders (Azilia affinis Chamberlin, Eidmannella pallida (Emerton), and Gaucelmus augustinus Keyserling). The pathogenic fungus Aspergillus sp. killed C. adjunctus in the cave and laboratory. The mite Histiostoma sp. was phoretic on C. adjunctus. Cimex adjunctus also fed on human blood and elicited an immune response after initial exposure.