
Community identification
Bed Bug
Cimex lectularius
- Order & Family
- Order: Hemiptera, Family: Cimicidae
- Size
- 4 to 5 millimeters (adults)
Natural Habitat
Commonly found in residential dwellings, particularly in cracks and crevices near sleeping areas, mattresses, and furniture.
Diet & Feeding
Obligate blood-feeders, primarily consuming human blood but also feeding on other warm-blooded animals.
Behavior Patterns
Nocturnal insects that emerge at night to feed. They undergo a simple metamorphosis (egg, nymph, adult) and can survive for months without a blood meal.
Risks & Benefits
A major public health pest causing itchy bites, allergic reactions, and psychological distress; they do not transmit diseases but cause significant economic impact and ecosystem disruption in human environments.