Community identification
Bed Bug
Cimex lectularius
- Order & Family
- Order: Hemiptera, Family: Cimicidae
- Size
- 4 to 5 millimeters in length (about the size of an apple seed) when fully grown.
Natural Habitat
Primarily found in human dwellings, focusing on sleeping areas like mattresses, bed frames, and furniture crevices.
Diet & Feeding
Strictly hematophagous, meaning they feed exclusively on the blood of warm-blooded animals, primarily humans.
Behavior Patterns
Nocturnal insects that hide during the day and emerge at night to feed. They are attracted to heat and carbon dioxide emitted by hosts.
Risks & Benefits
A significant public health pest that causes itchy bites and psychological distress; they do not transmit diseases but can cause secondary infections from scratching.