Bug Identifier
Bed Bug
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.
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

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.