Bed bug

Natural Habitat

Found indoors in personal items, furniture, and close to sleeping areas, specifically in cracks and crevices of mattresses, bed frames, and baseboards.

Diet & Feeding

Obligate hematophagous, meaning they feed exclusively on the blood of warm-blooded animals, primarily humans.

Behavior Patterns

Nighttime feeders that are most active while hosts are asleep. They undergo incomplete metamorphosis (egg, nymph, adult) and can survive many months without eating.

Risks & Benefits

Risks include physical discomfort from itchy bites, potential secondary skin infections from scratching, and significant psychological distress or insomnia. They are not known to transmit diseases to humans.

Identified on: 3/3/2026