Masked Hunter (Nymph)
Scientific Name: Reduvius personatus
Order & Family: Order: Hemiptera, Family: Reduviidae
Size: 15 mm to 22 mm (approx. 0.6 to 0.8 inches) as adults; nymphs are smaller and camouflaged.
Natural Habitat
Typically found indoors in dry, dusty areas like basements or attics, as well as outdoors in woodpiles and hollow trees.
Diet & Feeding
Carnivorous predator that feeds on other small arthropods, including bed bugs, carpet beetles, and silverfish.
Behavior Patterns
Nymphs practice 'masking' by covering their bodies with sticky secretions and dust/debris for camouflage. They are primarily nocturnal and undergo simple metamorphosis.
Risks & Benefits
Benefits humans by eating household pests like bed bugs. They are not known to transmit diseases, but can deliver a painful, defensive bite if handled or provoked.
Identified on: 1/11/2026