Bed Bug

Found globally in human dwellings, typically nesting in mattress seams, bed frames, headboards, and cracks or crevices near sleeping areas.

Obligate hematophages, meaning they feed exclusively on the blood of warm-blooded animals, primarily humans.

Nocturnal and elusive; they emerge at night to feed and hide during the day. They undergo incomplete metamorphosis (egg, nymph, adult) and require a blood meal to molt into the next life stage.

Risks include itchy allergic reactions to bites, skin rashes, and psychological distress/insomnia; while they are not known to transmit diseases to humans, infestations are difficult and expensive to eradicate. There are no known benefits to the ecosystem or humans.