Common Bed Bug

Scientific Name: Cimex lectularius

Order & Family: Order: Hemiptera, Family: Cimicidae

Size: 4 to 5 mm (about the size of an apple seed); flat and oval-shaped before feeding.

Common Bed Bug

Natural Habitat

Typically found indoors in close proximity to human sleeping areas, hidden in mattress seams, bed frames, headboards, and cracks or crevices.

Diet & Feeding

Obligate hematophages, meaning they feed exclusively on animal blood, primarily human blood.

Behavior Patterns

Nocturnal insects that emerge at night to feed on hosts while they sleep; they undergo incomplete metamorphosis (egg, nymph, adult) and can survive for months without a blood meal.

Risks & Benefits

Risks include red, itchy skin welts, psychological distress, and potential secondary skin infections from scratching. They are not known to transmit diseases to humans but are significant domestic pests.

Identified on: 3/3/2026