Masked Hunter Nymph (Camouflage Bug)
Scientific Name: Reduvius personatus
Order & Family: Order: Hemiptera, Family: Reduviidae (Assassin Bugs)
Size: Nymphs vary by age but generally range from 5mm to 15mm; adults reach 17-22mm.
Natural Habitat
Often found indoors in dusty corners, attics, and basements; outdoors in wooded areas or under rocks.
Diet & Feeding
Predatory; feeds on other small arthropods including bed bugs, earwigs, silverfish, and woodlice.
Behavior Patterns
The nymphs cover themselves in dust, lint, and debris as a form of camouflage to ambush prey, earning them the nickname 'dust bunnies' that move. They are stealthy hunters.
Risks & Benefits
Generally beneficial as they eat household pests like bed bugs. However, they can inflict a very painful bite if handled or threatened, though they do not transmit diseases.
Identified on: 2/26/2026