Bug Identifier
Bed Bug
Community identification

Bed Bug

Cimex lectularius

Order & Family
Order: Hemiptera, Family: Cimicidae
Size
4 to 5 mm (adults)
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Domestic environments, specifically in cracks and crevices of furniture, mattresses, and bed frames near sleeping hosts.

Diet & Feeding

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

Behavior Patterns

Mainly nocturnal; they emerge from hiding at night to feed and exhibit a characteristic 'breakfast, lunch, and dinner' bite pattern in a linear row.

Risks & Benefits

Risks include itchy, red welts, secondary skin infections from scratching, and psychological distress; they are not known vectors of infectious diseases to humans.