Summer is a season that many people eagerly wait for all year long — the warm sunshine, backyard barbecues, blooming gardens, long walks in nature, and evenings spent on the porch with friends and family.

But beyond the beauty of the season, summer also brings a surge in insect activity. Most people already know about mosquitoes, ticks, flies, and ants. However, in recent years, experts have raised the alarm about another insect that is quickly gaining attention across the United States — the assassin bug, also known by its more unsettling nickname, the kissing bug.

Despite the innocent-sounding name, this insect poses a far more serious risk than most people realize. While many Americans have never heard of it, the assassin bug has quietly been spreading…