Bed Bug

Natural Habitat

Primarily human dwellings, especially beds, mattresses, bed frames, and furniture, as well as cracks and crevices in walls, floors, and electrical outlets.

Diet & Feeding

Exclusively feed on the blood of warm-blooded hosts, primarily humans, but also pets and other animals if humans are not available. They are nocturnal feeders.

Behavior Patterns

Nocturnal, hiding during the day in seams of mattresses, cracks in bed frames, and other dark harborage areas. They are attracted to carbon dioxide and body heat. They are highly resilient and can survive for many months without a blood meal.

Risks & Benefits

Potential risks include itchy red welts from bites, allergic reactions, and secondary skin infections from scratching. They are not known to transmit diseases to humans. There are no known benefits to humans or the ecosystem from bed bugs; they are considered pests.

Identified on: 9/4/2025