Community identification
Bed Bug
Cimex lectularius
- Order & Family
- Hemiptera: Cimicidae
- Size
- 4 to 5 mm (adults), though nymphs are smaller and lighter in color
Natural Habitat
Crevices in beds, furniture, floorboards, and walls in human dwellings
Diet & Feeding
Obligate hematophagy; they feed almost exclusively on the blood of humans and occasionally other warm-blooded animals
Behavior Patterns
Nocturnal parasites that hide during the day and emerge at night seeking heat and carbon dioxide; they undergo incomplete metamorphosis through five nymphal stages
Risks & Benefits
Primarily a nuisance pest causing itchy bites, allergic reactions, and psychological distress; while they do not efficiently transmit diseases, they are difficult and expensive to eradicate