Masked Hunter

Found indoors in homes, basements, and around buildings, as well as outdoors in bark or dry leaf litter.

Carnivorous; feeds on other household insects such as bed bugs, carpet beetles, spiders, and woodlice using a piercing proboscis.

Nymphs use a sticky substance to cover themselves with dust, lint, and debris for camouflage (hence 'masked'). Solitary and nocturnal hunters.

Benefits humans by preying on household pests like bed bugs. They rarely bite humans, but if handled roughly, a bite can be painful, similar to a bee sting, though they do not transmit diseases.