# Bed Bug (*Cimex lectularius*)

> The common bed bug is a small flat insect that feeds exclusively on blood, mainly from humans at night while they sleep. Roughly 5 mm long and reddish-brown, it hides in mattress seams and furniture, resists many pesticides, and has resurged globally in hotels and homes — listed Not Evaluated by IUCN.

- **Category:** Insect
- **Conservation status (IUCN):** Not Evaluated
- **Range:** Cosmopolitan human commensal found wherever people sleep — hotels, homes, and dormitories worldwide; likely originated as bat parasites in caves.
- **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/bed-bug/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Arthropoda
- **Class:** Insecta
- **Order:** Hemiptera
- **Family:** Cimicidae
- **Genus:** Cimex

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Cimex lectularius |
| Diet | Blood — primarily human; also bats and birds in wild settings |
| Habitat | Human dwellings, hotels, dormitories, and bedding worldwide |
| Lifespan | 6–12 months; can survive months without feeding |
| Weight | 5–7 mg (0.000005–0.000007 kg) when unfed |
| Top speed | Crawls ~1 m per minute; does not fly or jump |
| Conservation status | Not Evaluated (IUCN) |

## Nocturnal blood feeding

Bed bugs emerge from hiding in darkness, attracted by carbon dioxide and body heat. They pierce skin with elongated mouthparts, feed for 5–10 minutes, then retreat to cracks. Bites often appear in lines or clusters but reactions vary — some people show no marks.

## Resurgence and resistance

Bed bugs nearly disappeared in wealthy countries after DDT use mid-century but resurged since the 1990s with international travel, pesticide resistance, and reduced use of broad-spectrum insecticides. They spread via luggage, furniture, and clothing.

## Detection and treatment

Signs include rusty spots (faecal stains), shed skins, and a sweet musty odour in heavy infestations. Heat treatment above 50°C kills all life stages. Professional extermination often combines heat, steam, encasements, and targeted insecticides.

## Health impacts

Bed bugs are not known to transmit disease to humans despite blood feeding. Bites cause itching, allergic reactions, and psychological distress — anxiety and sleep loss are common during infestations. Not Evaluated by IUCN as a human-associated pest.

## Frequently asked questions

### Do bed bugs spread disease?

No confirmed disease transmission to humans — unlike ticks or mosquitoes. The main harm is itching, allergic reaction, and psychological stress.

### How do you get bed bugs?

They hitchhike on luggage, used furniture, and clothing from infested hotels, homes, or public transport. They do not arrive from poor hygiene alone.

### Can bed bugs fly?

No — they have no wings and cannot jump. They crawl between rooms and spread through walls and pipes in multi-unit buildings.

### How do you kill bed bugs?

Professional heat treatment, steam, mattress encasements, and targeted pesticides. Washing bedding at high heat helps but rarely eliminates infestation alone.

### What do bed bugs look like?

Flat oval reddish-brown insects about apple-seed size (4–7 mm). After feeding they swell and darken. Nymphs are smaller and paler.

## Sources

- [IUCN Red List — Cimex lectularius.](https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Cimex%20lectularius&searchType=species)
- [Animal Diversity Web — Cimex lectularius. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Cimex_lectularius/)
- [Wikipedia — Bed Bug.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bed_bug)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/bed-bug/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.