Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies (Hemiptera) » True Bugs (Heteroptera) » Bed Bugs (Cimicidae)

Family Cimicidae - Bed Bugs

Unknown bug found in apartment. Suspected of leaving bites on two small children - Cimex lectularius

Swallow bug, Oeciacus vicarius - Oeciacus vicarius

Unidentified tick-shaped bug - Cimex lectularius

Insect in bird cage - Hesperocimex coloradensis

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Hemiptera (True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies)

Suborder Heteroptera (True Bugs)

Family Cimicidae (Bed Bugs)

Numbers

15 species in 8 genera in North America (nearctica.com)

7 species in Canada (Entomological Society of Manitoba - PDF doc)

Size

3-9 mm

Identification

body flat, broadly oval, yellowish to reddish-brown; very short non-functional wings

Range

cosmopolitan

Habitat

on or near host animal (birds and mammals)

Season

year-round

Food

parasitic: nymphs and adults feed on blood of host animal

Life Cycle

multiple generations per year

Internet References

adult and nymph images of bed bugs (U. of Toronto)

adult bat bug images plus distribution, description, biology etc. (Ohio State U.)

Contributed by Robin McLeod on 23 April, 2005 - 12:43am
Additional contributions by Harsi S. Parker
Last updated 19 November, 2009 - 8:25pm

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