
Community identification
Bed Bug
Cimex lectularius
- Order & Family
- Order: Hemiptera, Family: Cimicidae
- Size
- 4 to 5 mm (approx. size of an apple seed) when fully grown.
Natural Habitat
Primarily indoor environments such as mattresses, bed frames, and furniture cracks within human dwellings.
Diet & Feeding
Obligate hematophages, feeding exclusively on the blood of warm-blooded animals, primarily humans.
Behavior Patterns
Nocturnal insects that emerge at night to feed. They remain hidden during the day and undergo incomplete metamorphosis through five nymphal stages.
Risks & Benefits
A significant household pest that causes itchy welts and psychological distress. While not known to transmit diseases, they can cause secondary skin infections from scratching.