Bug Identifier
Bed Bug
Community identification

Bed Bug

Cimex lectularius

Order & Family
Hemiptera: Cimicidae
Size
4 to 5 millimeters (typically the size of an apple seed)
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Found indoors, primarily near human sleeping areas such as mattresses, box springs, bed frames, and cracks or crevices in walls.

Diet & Feeding

Obligate hematophagous (feeds exclusively on the blood of warm-blooded animals, especially humans).

Behavior Patterns

Nocturnal and elusive; they hide during the day and emerge at night to feed. They undergo incomplete metamorphosis (egg, nymph, adult) and can survive for months without a blood meal.

Risks & Benefits

Risks include itchy allergic reactions to bites, skin rashes, and psychological distress or insomnia. They are not known to transmit diseases to humans. There are no ecological benefits to humans.