Community identification
Bed Bug
Cimex lectularius
- Order & Family
- Order: Hemiptera, Family: Cimicidae
- Size
- 4 mm to 7 mm long (about the size of an apple seed)
Natural Habitat
Found primarily in human dwellings, particularly in cracks and crevices of beds, upholstered furniture, and walls.
Diet & Feeding
Obligate hematophages; they feed exclusively on the blood of warm-blooded animals, primarily humans.
Behavior Patterns
Nocturnal feeders that hide during the day and use heat and CO2 to locate hosts. They undergo incomplete metamorphosis (eggs, five nymphal stages, and adults).
Risks & Benefits
Risks include allergic reactions, itchy welts (as pictured), psychological stress, and secondary infections from scratching. They are not known to transmit diseases to humans. There are no ecological benefits to humans.