Bug Identifier
Masked Hunter (Nymph)
Community identification

Masked Hunter (Nymph)

Reduvius personatus

Order & Family
Hemiptera: Reduviidae
Size
15 to 22 mm when fully grown; nymphs are smaller and covered in debris.
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Indoor environments like homes, basements, and attics, as well as outdoor areas in loose soil or leaf litter.

Diet & Feeding

Predatory; feeds on small arthropods such as bed bugs, carpet beetles, termites, and earwigs.

Behavior Patterns

Nymphs use sticky secretions to cover themselves in dust, lint, or sand as a camouflage. They are nocturnal and move slowly to stalk prey.

Risks & Benefits

Highly beneficial as they eat household pests like bed bugs; however, they can deliver an extremely painful bite to humans if handled or threatened.