Community identification
Bed bug
Cimex lectularius
- Order & Family
- Order Hemiptera, Family Cimicidae
- Size
- Approximately 4 to 5 mm in length
Natural Habitat
Found worldwide, primarily in human dwellings within cracks, crevices, and mattress seams
Diet & Feeding
Obligate hematophages, feeding primarily on the blood of humans and other warm-blooded animals
Behavior Patterns
Nocturnal, elusive, and photophobic; they undergo incomplete metamorphosis through five nymphal stages, each requiring a blood meal
Risks & Benefits
They do not transmit diseases but can cause skin rashes, psychological distress, and allergic reactions; they provide no known ecological benefits to humans