Bed Bug
Scientific Name: Cimex lectularius
Order & Family: Order: Hemiptera, Family: Cimicidae
Size: Approximately 4–5 mm long (about the size of an apple seed).
Natural Habitat
Indoor environments, primarily in cracks and crevices of beds, furniture, walls, and flooring near sleeping areas.
Diet & Feeding
Obligate hematophages, meaning they feed exclusively on the blood of warm-blooded animals, primarily humans.
Behavior Patterns
Nocturnal and elusive; they hide during the day and emerge at night to feed. They undergo incomplete metamorphosis (egg, nymph, adult) and require a blood meal to progress through each growth stage.
Risks & Benefits
Risks include itchy allergic reactions to bites, sleep deprivation, and psychological distress. While they carry pathogens, they are not currently known to transmit diseases to humans. There are no ecological benefits to humans.
Identified on: 2/12/2026