
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)
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.