Migrations may occur if a house is vacated and their food supply is cut off. A closely related species, most commonly found in higher elevations of the state, is the swallow bug. Swallow bugs develop on nesting swallows, normally cliff swallows. However, barn swallows also can support these Insects. Problems with human bites occur when birds nest on the sides of buildings.
Swallow bugs breed freely all summer in swallow nests.
In early autumn, when bird migration occurs, the swallow bugs scatter in search of new hosts and invade human dwellings. They also increase their activity in spring, coinciding with the return of the swallow hosts. During the long period when swallows are not present, they can survive without food by remaining semidormant. Because of their different habits, proper identification determines where to direct controls to be most effective. Remove and exclude bats and other hosts from the home to more permanently remove sources of bat bugs.