Community identification
Bed bug
Cimex lectularius
- Order & Family
- Hemiptera; Cimicidae
- Size
- Adults are about 4–7 mm long; immature stages are smaller.
Natural Habitat
Indoor hiding places such as mattress seams, bed frames, furniture cracks, and baseboards, close to sleeping hosts.
Diet & Feeding
Feeds on the blood of humans and other warm-blooded animals.
Behavior Patterns
Nocturnal and flattened, bed bugs hide in tight crevices between blood meals. They reproduce indoors and can spread by hitchhiking in luggage, clothing, or furniture.
Risks & Benefits
Bites can cause itchy welts and disturbed sleep; they are not known to transmit disease. They are household pests with no meaningful ecosystem benefit.