Masked Hunter Nymph (Camouflage Bug)
Scientific Name: Reduvius personatus
Order & Family: Order: Hemiptera, Family: Reduviidae (Assassin Bugs)
Size: Nymphs vary based on instar stage but typically grow to about 15-20 mm (0.6-0.8 inches) as adults.
Natural Habitat
Often found indoors in dusty corners, basements, and attics, as well as outdoors in wooded areas or near old buildings where their prey is abundant.
Diet & Feeding
It is a predator that feeds on small arthropods like bed bugs, earwigs, silverfish, and woodlice.
Behavior Patterns
The nymph has sticky hairs on its body that pick up dust, lint, and debris, creating a layer of camouflage (hence the 'Masked' name) to hide from both predators and prey. They are ambush predators.
Risks & Benefits
Generally beneficial because they eat household pests like bed bugs. However, they can inflict a very painful bite if handled or threatened, comparable to a bee sting, though they do not transmit diseases.
Identified on: 2/11/2026