Masked Hunter Nymph (Dust Bunny Bug)
Scientific Name: Reduvius personatus
Order & Family: Order: Hemiptera, Family: Reduviidae (Assassin Bugs)
Size: Nymphs: 0.1 to 0.7 inches (2.5 to 17 mm) (varies by growth stage)
Natural Habitat
Found indoors in dusty corners, attics, and voids; outdoors in crevices, tree hollows, or under rocks.
Diet & Feeding
Opportunistic predator; feeds on bed bugs, termites, earwigs, sowbugs, and other small household arthropods.
Behavior Patterns
The nymphs secrete a sticky substance on their bodies that collects dust, sand, and lint, creating effective camouflage (mimicking a dust bunny). They hunt aggressively by ambush.
Risks & Benefits
Benefits: They act as natural pest control, eating unwanted insects like bed bugs. Risks: While generally avoiding humans, they can deliver a very painful bite if handled or threatened.
Identified on: 2/26/2026