Bed Bug
Scientific Name: Cimex lectularius
Order & Family: Order: Hemiptera, Family: Cimicidae
Size: Approximately 4-5 mm in length (about the size of an apple seed) for adults; nymphs are smaller and translucent.
Natural Habitat
Found worldwide, primarily located indoors in cracks and crevices near human sleeping areas, mattresses, bed frames, and behind headboards.
Diet & Feeding
Hematophagous (feed exclusively on the blood of warm-blooded animals), preferentially humans.
Behavior Patterns
Nocturnal and generally cryptic, hiding during the day in tight clusters; they are attracted to the carbon dioxide and warmth of their hosts.
Risks & Benefits
Primary risk is nuisance biting which causes itching, allergic reactions, and sleep loss; they can cause significant psychological stress but are not definitively known to transmit disease.
Identified on: 2/23/2026