Community identification
Bed Bug
Cimex lectularius
- Order & Family
- Order: Hemiptera; Family: Cimicidae
- Size
- 1 to 7 millimeters (about the size of an apple seed)
Natural Habitat
Human dwellings, specifically in cracks and crevices of beds, furniture, and walls.
Diet & Feeding
Obligate hematophages; they feed exclusively on the blood of warm-blooded animals, primarily humans.
Behavior Patterns
They are nocturnal, emerging at night to feed. They go through five nymphal stages before reaching adulthood and can survive months without a meal.
Risks & Benefits
They do not transmit diseases but their bites can cause allergic reactions, intense itching, and psychological distress. They provide no known ecological benefit to humans.