Common Bed Bug
Scientific Name: Cimex lectularius
Order & Family: Order: Hemiptera, Family: Cimicidae
Size: 4–5 mm (adults), roughly the size of an apple seed; nymphs are smaller and translucent/yellowish.
Natural Habitat
Indoor environments primarily associated with human housing, hotels, and public transportation. They hide in cracks, crevices, box springs, and headboards near sleeping areas.
Diet & Feeding
Obligate hematophages; they feed exclusively on the blood of warm-blooded animals, primarily humans.
Behavior Patterns
Nocturnal and reclusive. They emerge at night to feed, attracted by body heat and CO2. Life cycle includes five nymphal stages, each requiring a blood meal to molt into the next stage.
Risks & Benefits
No ecosystem benefits in a human context. Risks include itchy skin welts, allergic reactions, secondary skin infections from scratching, and significant psychological distress or insomnia. They are not known to transmit diseases to humans.
Identified on: 12/26/2025