Bedbugs are included in the genus Cimex. Two species, Cimex lectularius and Cimex hemipterus, infest humans. These arthropods feed on blood, usually at night, and their bites can cause skin rashes.
Bedbugs appear:
- Reddish-brown
- Approximately 4.0–5.0 mm in length
- Male and female specimens may look quite different from one another, so caution in identification is advised
- One pair of four-segmented antennae
- One pair of eyes
- Front wings are reduced to leathery pads
- Piercing and sucking mouthparts do not extend beyond the base of front legs
18. CDC. Image# 15247. "This photograph depicted a dorsal view of two bedbugs, Cimex lectularius. A male on the left, and a female on the right. Note the male’s slightly pointed distal abdomen, where in females, it is rounded. Lengthwise, females are slightly larger than males." PHIL public domain. https://phil.cdc.gov/Details.aspx?pid=15247
