Bed Bug

Human dwellings, specifically in cracks, crevices, mattress seams, bed frames, and furniture near sleeping areas.

Hematophagous; they feed exclusively on the blood of warm-blooded animals, primarily humans.

Nocturnal parasites that hide during the day and emerge at night to feed. They undergo incomplete metamorphosis (egg, nymph, adult) and require a blood meal to molt into each successive stage.

Risks include itchy allergic reactions to bites, skin infections from scratching, and significant psychological distress or insomnia. They are not known to transmit diseases to humans. There are no known ecological benefits to their presence in human environments.