Masked Hunter nymph

Natural Habitat

Often found indoors in dusty areas, attics, under rugs, or outdoors under bark and in leaf litter. They mimic dust bunnies for camouflage.

Diet & Feeding

Predatory; nymphs primarily feed on other small arthropods, including bed bugs, carpet beetle larvae, spiders, and other insects.

Behavior Patterns

The masked hunter nymph covers itself with dust, lint, and debris to camouflage itself from predators and prey. It is a slow-moving, ambush predator. As it grows, it molts, shedding its dusty layer and re-accumulating new camouflaged material. Adults are winged and can fly.

Risks & Benefits

Benefits: They are beneficial as they prey on household pests like bed bugs and carpet beetles. Risks: They can inflict a painful bite if mishandled or threatened, though they are not aggressive towards humans. The bite is comparable to a bee sting and can cause local swelling and pain, but they are not venomous in a medically significant way to humans.

Identified on: 10/12/2025