Masked Hunter Nymph (Dust Bug)
Scientific Name: Reduvius personatus
Order & Family: Hemiptera (Order), Reduviidae (Family - Assassin Bugs)
Size: Nymphs vary in size as they grow, reaching up to 15-20mm as adults, though the nymphs are often smaller.
Natural Habitat
Typically found indoors in dusty corners, attics, and basements where they can find prey. Also found in woodpiles and dry outdoor environments.
Diet & Feeding
Carnivorous predator that feeds on other small insects and arthropods, including bed bugs, earwigs, carpet beetles, and silverfish.
Behavior Patterns
The nymphs secrete a sticky substance that causes dust, lint, and debris to adhere to their bodies, creating effective camouflage. They are ambush predators.
Risks & Benefits
Generally beneficial as they eat household pests. However, they can inflict a painful bite if handled or threatened, similar to a wasp sting, though it is not venomous in a medically significant way to humans.
Identified on: 3/6/2026