Bed Bug
Scientific Name: Cimex lectularius
Order & Family: Order: Hemiptera, Family: Cimicidae
Size: 4 to 5 mm (about the size of an apple seed) when fully grown.
Natural Habitat
Typically found in human dwellings, hidden in cracks, crevices, mattres seams, headboards, and furniture near sleeping areas.
Diet & Feeding
Obligate hematophages, meaning they feed exclusively on the blood of warm-blooded animals, primarily humans.
Behavior Patterns
Mainly nocturnal; they emerge from hiding at night to feed. They undergo incomplete metamorphosis (egg, five nymphal stages, and adult) and require a blood meal to progress to each stage.
Risks & Benefits
Risks include itchy skin welts, allergic reactions, secondary skin infections from scratching, and significant psychological distress/insomnia; however, they are not known to transmit diseases to humans. There are no ecological benefits in a domestic human setting.
Identified on: 3/15/2026