Masked Hunter Nymph (Dust Bug)
Scientific Name: Reduvius personatus
Order & Family: Hemiptera: Reduviidae (Assassin Bugs)
Size: Nymphs are typically 5-10 mm; adults can reach 17-22 mm.
Natural Habitat
Often found indoors in homes, basements, and attics, as well as outdoors in wooded areas or barns.
Diet & Feeding
It is an insectivore (predatory), feeding on bed bugs, termites, earwigs, and other small household arthropods.
Behavior Patterns
Nymphs cover themselves in dust, lint, and debris as camouflage (the 'mask'), making them look like walking dust bunnies. They are stealthy or ambush predators.
Risks & Benefits
Benefits: They are beneficial predators that eat household pests like bed bugs. Risks: While they do not seek people out, they can inflict a painful bite if handled or threatened.
Identified on: 2/21/2026