Masked Hunter Nymph (Dust Bug)
Scientific Name: Reduvius personatus
Order & Family: Hemiptera (True Bugs); Family: Reduviidae (Assassin Bugs)
Size: Nymphs vary based on age but range from just a few millimeters to about 20mm (0.8 inches) when fully grown adults.
Natural Habitat
Typically found indoors in dusty corners, attics, and crawlspaces, but they originate outdoors in dry habitats.
Diet & Feeding
Carnivorous predator; feeds on bed bugs, silverfish, ants, flies, and other small arthropods.
Behavior Patterns
The nymphs actively camouflage themselves by sticking dust, lint, and sand to their bodies using sticky secretions, making them look like a walking ball of dust. They are solitary hunters.
Risks & Benefits
Generally beneficial as they eat household pests like bed bugs. However, if handled or threatened, they can inflict a painful bite, similar to a bee or wasp sting.
Identified on: 2/15/2026