Cimicidae

Pronunciation:  [Si·MISS·i·dae]

Common Name:  Bed Bugs

Description:  Bed bugs are external parasites that feed on the blood of their host.   They are mostly active at night and hide in crevices during the day.   Unless they have recently fed, bed bugs have a body that is almost paper thin in profile.   The common bed bug, Cimex lectularius, can be a pest in chicken houses as well as human dwellings.

Spot ID Key Characters:

1. Flat, oval body
2. Four-segmented antennae
3. Wingless in all stages of development

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Order:  Hemiptera, suborder Heteroptera