Bed Bug
Scientific Name: Cimex lectularius
Order & Family: Order: Hemiptera; Family: Cimicidae
Size: 1 to 7 millimeters (adults are about the size of an apple seed).
Natural Habitat
Indoor environments near sleeping areas, including mattresses, bed frames, headboards, and cracks or crevices in furniture and walls.
Diet & Feeding
Obligate hematophages, meaning they feed exclusively on the blood of warm-blooded animals, primarily humans.
Behavior Patterns
Nocturnal parasites that hide during the day and emerge at night to feed. They undergo incomplete metamorphosis (egg, nymph, adult) and use infrared sensors and CO2 detection to find hosts.
Risks & Benefits
Risks include itchy bites, allergic reactions, secondary skin infections from scratching, and significant psychological distress or insomnia. They are not known to transmit diseases to humans. There are no ecological benefits to humans.
Identified on: 6/4/2026