Community identification
Bed Bug (Egg stage)
Cimex lectularius
- Order & Family
- Order: Hemiptera, Family: Cimicidae
- Size
- Approximately 1 mm in length (the size of a grain of salt)
Natural Habitat
Cracks and crevices in bedrooms, mattress seams, furniture, and behind baseboards near human sleeping areas.
Diet & Feeding
Hematophagous (obligate blood-feeders); they feed on the blood of humans and other warm-blooded animals.
Behavior Patterns
Eggs are laid in clusters and glued to surfaces with a sticky substance. They hatch in about 6 to 10 days. Bed bugs are nocturnal, emerging from hiding at night to feed while the host sleeps.
Risks & Benefits
No ecological benefits in human environments. Risks include itchy skin welts, allergic reactions, psychological distress, and secondary skin infections from scratching. They are not known to transmit diseases.