Community identification
Bed Bug
Cimex lectularius
- Order & Family
- Order: Hemiptera, Family: Cimicidae
- Size
- 4 to 5 mm long (about the size of an apple seed)
Natural Habitat
Indoors, primarily in and around human sleeping areas such as mattresses, bed frames, and floor crevices
Diet & Feeding
Obligate hematophages, meaning they feed exclusively on the blood of warm-blooded animals, primarily humans
Behavior Patterns
Nocturnal, hiding during the day and emerging at night to feed; they undergo incomplete metamorphosis and can survive for months without a blood meal
Risks & Benefits
They pose significant risks as a household pest, causing itchy bites, allergic reactions, and psychological distress; they are not known to transmit diseases to humans but are difficult and costly to eradicate