Bug Identifier
Bed Bug
Community identification

Bed Bug

Cimex lectularius

Order & Family
Order: Hemiptera, Family: Cimicidae
Size
4 to 5 mm (adults), roughly the size of an apple seed.
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Commonly found in residential dwellings, hotels, and public transport, typically hiding in cracks, crevices, mattresses, and furniture within close proximity to human sleeping areas.

Diet & Feeding

Obligate hematophagous (blood-feeders), primarily targeting humans but also feeding on other warm-blooded animals if necessary.

Behavior Patterns

Nocturnal parasites that emerge at night to feed. They undergo incomplete metamorphosis (egg, nymph, adult) and can survive for months without a blood meal under cool conditions.

Risks & Benefits

While not known to transmit diseases to humans, they cause significant psychological distress, insomnia, and allergic reactions (itchy welts). They provide no known ecological benefit in human environments.