Bug Identifier
Bed Bug
Community identification

Bed Bug

Cimex lectularius

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

Natural Habitat

Primarily resides in human dwellings, hidden in mattresses, bed frames, and wall crevices

Diet & Feeding

Obligate blood-feeders, primarily consuming human blood but also bite warm-blooded animals

Behavior Patterns

Nocturnal parasites that hide during the day and emerge at night to feed on sleeping hosts; they undergo hemimetabolous metamorphosis

Risks & Benefits

A major public health pest that causes itchy bites, sleep deprivation, and psychological distress; they do not transmit diseases but can cause allergic reactions