Bed Bug
Scientific Name: Cimex lectularius
Order & Family: Order: Hemiptera, Family: Cimicidae
Size: 1 to 7 millimeters (nymphs are smaller and translucent; adults are reddish-brown and approximately the size of an apple seed).
Natural Habitat
Commonly found in residential dwellings, hotels, and public transport, typically hiding in cracks, crevices, mattresses, and bed frames near human sleeping areas.
Diet & Feeding
Obligate hematophages, meaning they feed exclusively on the blood of warm-blooded animals, primarily humans.
Behavior Patterns
They are primarily nocturnal, emerging from hiding at night to feed. They undergo incomplete metamorphosis (egg, nymph, adult) and require a blood meal to progress through each growth stage.
Risks & Benefits
They do not knownly transmit diseases but their bites can cause allergic reactions, skin rashes, and significant psychological distress or insomnia. They offer no known ecosystem benefits in indoor urban environments.
Identified on: 5/21/2026