Community identification
Masked Hunter Nymph
Reduvius personatus
- Order & Family
- Hemiptera: Reduviidae
- Size
- 3 mm to 22 mm (nymphs are smaller and covered in debris)
Natural Habitat
Dwellings, barns, and warehouses; usually found in dark, undisturbed areas like basements or under rugs
Diet & Feeding
Carnivorous predator; feeds on small arthropods including bed bugs, carpet beetles, termites, and silverfish
Behavior Patterns
As a nymph, it secretes a sticky substance that causes dust, lint, and sand to adhere to its body as camouflage. They are solitary and nocturnal hunters.
Risks & Benefits
Benefits include biological pest control of bed bugs and other indoor pests. Risks include a painful (but not medically significant) defensive bite if handled or provoked.