Bed Bug
Scientific Name: Cimex lectularius
Order & Family: Order: Hemiptera, Family: Cimicidae
Size: 4 to 5 mm (typical adult size), roughly the size of an apple seed.
Natural Habitat
Indoor environments, specifically within human dwellings, nesting in mattress seams, bed frames, cracks, and crevices near sleeping areas.
Diet & Feeding
Hematophagous (obligate blood-feeders), primarily consuming human blood but sometimes feeding on other warm-blooded animals.
Behavior Patterns
Nocturnal and elusive; they remain hidden during the day and emerge at night to feed. They undergo a hemimetabolous life cycle involving five nymphal stages, each requiring a blood meal to molt.
Risks & Benefits
Risks include itchy skin rashes, psychological distress, and allergic reactions to bites; they are not known vectors of disease. There are no ecological benefits to humans.
Identified on: 1/14/2026