Bed Bug
Scientific Name: Cimex lectularius
Order & Family: Order: Hemiptera, Family: Cimicidae
Size: 4 to 5 mm (adults), roughly the size of an apple seed; nymphs are smaller and translucent.
Natural Habitat
Indoor environments, primarily residing in cracks and crevices of mattresses, bed frames, furniture, and behind baseboards in proximity to human sleeping areas.
Diet & Feeding
Obligate hematophages; they feed exclusively on the blood of warm-blooded animals, primarily humans.
Behavior Patterns
Nocturnal and elusive; they emerge at night to feed. They undergo incomplete metamorphosis (egg, nymphal stages, adult) and require a blood meal to advance to each life stage.
Risks & Benefits
Significant household pest. Risks include itchy skin welts/allergic reactions from bites, sleep deprivation, and psychological distress. They are not known to transmit diseases to humans but are difficult and expensive to eradicate.
Identified on: 1/12/2026