Bed Bug (Exoskeleton/Shell Sheaths)

Indoor environments, specifically human dwellings. They frequent mattress seams, bed frames, headboards, and cracks or crevices near sleeping areas.

Obligate hematophagous (blood-feeders), primarily preferring human blood, but will feed on other warm-blooded animals if necessary.

Nocturnal and elusive. They undergo five nymphal stages, shedding their outer exoskeleton (casting) each time they grow after a blood meal. These discarded golden-brown shells are a primary sign of an infestation.

Risks include itchy allergic reactions to bites, skin rashes, and psychological distress/insomnia. While not known to transmit diseases, they are significant domestic pests. There are no known benefits to the ecosystem or humans.