Bedbug, (family Cimicidae), any of about 75 species of insects in the true bug order,
Heteroptera, that feed on the blood of humans and other warm-blooded animals. The reddish brown adult is
broad and flat and 4 to 5 mm (less than 0.2 inch) long. The greatly atrophied scalelike vestigial wings are
inconspicuous and nonfunctioning.
bedbugs are among the most cosmopolitan of human parasites. They are found in every kind of dwelling
place, hiding during the day and coming out at night to feed. After feeding, they retreat to their hiding place
to digest the meal, which may require several days. Adult specimens have lived for at least a year without food.
Although the bedbug has an irritating bite, it is not known to transmit diseases to humans.