Bed bug

Natural Habitat

Typically found in human dwellings, concentrated in bed frames, mattresses, cracks and crevices in furniture, and behind baseboards.

Diet & Feeding

Obligate hematophages, meaning they feed exclusively on the blood of warm-blooded animals, primarily humans.

Behavior Patterns

Nocturnal pests that emerge at night to feed. They undergo incomplete metamorphosis (egg, nymph, adult). They do not fly or jump but can crawl rapidly over many surfaces.

Risks & Benefits

Risks include physical discomfort, itchy welts (bite reactions), sleep deprivation, and psychological distress. While they carry pathogens, they are not known to transmit diseases to humans. They offer no known ecological benefits to human environments.

Identified on: 3/19/2026