Community identification
Bed Bug
Cimex lectularius
- Order & Family
- Order: Hemiptera, Family: Cimicidae
- Size
- 1 to 7 millimeters in length, depending on life stage and feeding status.
Natural Habitat
Nests and hides in cracks, crevices, mattress seams, and upholstered furniture in human dwellings.
Diet & Feeding
Obligate hematophages, meaning they feed exclusively on the blood of warm-blooded animals, primarily humans.
Behavior Patterns
Nocturnal parasites that emerge at night to feed. They undergo hemimetabolous metamorphosis from egg to nymph to adult.
Risks & Benefits
They do not transmit diseases but cause psychological distress, skin irritation, and allergic reactions. They offer no known ecosystem benefits in human environments.