Bug Identifier
Bed Bug
Community identification

Bed Bug

Cimex lectularius

Order & Family
Order Hemiptera; Family Cimicidae
Size
1 to 7 millimeters (about the size of an apple seed when fully grown)
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Dwellings, primarily near sleeping areas such as mattress seams, bed frames, headboards, and cracks or crevices in furniture.

Diet & Feeding

Obligate hematophagous (blood-feeders), typically feeding on humans or other warm-blooded animals.

Behavior Patterns

Primarily nocturnal, emerging from hiding at night to feed. They undergo incomplete metamorphosis (egg, nymph, adult) and can survive months without a blood meal.

Risks & Benefits

Risks include itchy allergic reactions to bites, sleep deprivation, and anxiety; they are not known to transmit diseases but can cause significant economic and psychological stress. There are no known ecological benefits to humans.