Masked Hunter (nymph)

Natural Habitat

Found indoors in dark corners, crevices, or basements, and outdoors in barns or among rocks and woodpiles.

Diet & Feeding

Carnivorous; feeds on other small arthropods like bed bugs, flies, and carpet beetles by piercing them with a proboscis.

Behavior Patterns

Nymphs (like the one pictured) often cover themselves with dust, lint, and sand for camouflage; they are primarily nocturnal and undergo incomplete metamorphosis.

Risks & Benefits

Beneficial as natural pest control for indoor insects; however, they can deliver a painful bite to humans if handled or provoked, although they do not transmit diseases.

Identified on: 6/25/2026