Bed Bug
Scientific Name: Cimex lectularius
Order & Family: Order: Hemiptera, Family: Cimicidae
Size: 4 to 5 mm (adults), roughly the size of an apple seed.
Natural Habitat
Dwellings, specifically upholstered furniture, mattresses, bed frames, and crevices near human sleeping areas.
Diet & Feeding
Obligate hematophages; they feed exclusively on the blood of warm-blooded animals, primarily humans.
Behavior Patterns
Nocturnal and elusive; they hide during the day and emerge at night to feed. They are attracted to heat and carbon dioxide and undergo incomplete metamorphosis from nymph to adult.
Risks & Benefits
Risks include physical reactions like itchy welts and psychological distress/insomnia; however, they are not known to transmit diseases to humans. There are no ecological benefits to humans.
Identified on: 12/27/2025