Masked hunter (assassin bug)

Dry, sheltered places such as buildings, attics, wall voids, and woodpiles; widespread in temperate regions.

Nymphs and adults are predators that pierce and suck fluids from flies, bed bugs, cockroaches, and other arthropods.

Nocturnal and secretive; nymphs camouflage themselves by coating their bodies with dust and debris. Adults often wander indoors and may fly toward lights.

Beneficial as a predator of household pests, but it can deliver a painful defensive bite if handled; it is not a blood-feeding bed bug and is not known to transmit disease.