Bed Bug
Scientific Name: Cimex lectularius
Order & Family: Order: Hemiptera, Family: Cimicidae
Size: Commonly 4-5 mm in length, but as small as 1.5 mm (nymphs) before feeding. They are oval, flattened, and reddish-brown.
Natural Habitat
Bed bugs typically inhabit the sleeping areas of humans. They hide in cracks and crevices of beds, box springs, headboards, bed frames, and other furniture. They prefer dark, protected locations near their host.
Diet & Feeding
Hematophagous (blood-feeders). They feed almost exclusively on the blood of humans, although they can feed on other warm-blooded animals if humans are unavailable.
Behavior Patterns
Bed bugs are primarily nocturnal and cryptic. They emerge at night to feed on a sleeping host. After feeding, which takes 3-10 minutes, they retreat back to their hiding spots to digest. They aggregate in clusters due to aggregation pheromones.
Risks & Benefits
Risks: Their bites can cause skin rashes, allergic reactions, and psychological distress (anxiety, insomnia). While they are not known vectors of disease, infestations are notoriously difficult and expensive to eradicate. Benefits: None known to humans or the domestic ecosystem.
Identified on: 2/27/2026