Bed Bug
Scientific Name: Cimex lectularius
Order & Family: Order: Hemiptera, Family: Cimicidae
Size: Typically 4 to 5 millimeters (about the size of an apple seed) when fully grown.
Natural Habitat
Habitats primarily include indoor environments where humans reside, such as mattresses, bed frames, furniture, and cracks or crevices in walls.
Diet & Feeding
Obligate hematophages, meaning they feed exclusively on the blood of warm-blooded animals, primarily humans.
Behavior Patterns
They are predominantly nocturnal and elusive, hiding during the day and emerging at night to feed. They undergo incomplete metamorphosis (egg, nymph, adult) and require a blood meal to progress through each life stage.
Risks & Benefits
Risks include itchy skin welts, allergic reactions, and significant psychological distress or insomnia. They are not known to transmit diseases to humans. There are no known ecological benefits for humans.
Identified on: 3/15/2026