Cimex lectularius

Bed bug taking a blood meal. Chicago, Illinois, USA

Cimex lectularius

The common bed bug. Chicago, Illinois, USA

Cimex lectularius

Bed bug nymph taking a blood meal. The bug feeds through a set of mouthparts that are highly modified for piercing and sucking. Chicago, Illinois, USA

Cimex lectularius

Cimex lectularius nymph (left) and adult bed bugs. Chicago, Illinois, USA

Cimex lectularius

A female bed bug engorged with blood a few minutes after beginning to feed. Laboratory animal at the University of Kentucky.

Cimex lectularius

The common bed bug. Chicago, Illinois, USA

Cimex lectularius

Bed bugs hiding in the linens. Chicago, Illinois, USA

Cimex lectularius

The common bed bug. Chicago, Illinois, USA

Cimex lectularius

The swollen body of this bed bug nymph indicate that it is most of the way through a blood meal. Chicago, Illinois, USA

Cimex lectularius

Bed bugs are larger than many people think: adults reach 5mm long and are easily visible to the naked eye. Chicago, Illinois, USA

Cimex lectularius

Bed bug nymph taking a blood meal. Chicago, Illinois, USA

Cimex lectularius

Biologist Jennifer Gordon of the University of Kentucky feeds one of her study animals.

Cimex lectularius

Laboratory animals at the University of Kentucky.

Cimex lectularius

Bed bugs have an unusual style of mating called traumatic insemination. Males, instead of aiming for the female genital opening, pierce her armor and inject sperm directly into the body cavity. This behavior causes some damage to the females but is thought to help males outcompete each others' sperm. Laboratory culture at the University of Kentucky.

Cimex lectularius

Bed bugs have an unusual style of mating called traumatic insemination. Males, instead of aiming for the female genital opening, pierce her armor and inject sperm directly into the body cavity. This behavior causes some damage to the females but is thought to help males outcompete each others' sperm. Laboratory culture at the University of Kentucky.

Cimex lectularius

Bed bugs mating. Laboratory culture at the University of Kentucky.

Cimex lectularius

Bed bugs mating. Laboratory culture at the University of Kentucky.

Cimex lectularius

A male and a blood-engorged female bed bug mate in a lab culture at the University of Kentucky.

Cimex lectularius

Head-on with the common bedbug, Cimex lectularius. Chicago, Illinois, USA

Cimex lectularius

Bed bugs mating. Laboratory culture at the University of Kentucky.

Cimex lectularius

Bed bug with eggs. Laboratory culture at the University of Kentucky.

Cimex lectularius

Bed bug eggs (white), with speckles of dried blood exudate typical of infestations. Laboratory culture at the University of Kentucky.

Cimex lectularius

First and second instar bed bugs in lab culture at the Unversity of Kentucky.

Cimex lectularius

Adult bed bug feeding. Notice how the labium (the sheath surrounding the stylets) folds back to allow the bedbug's piercing/sucking mouthparts to sink deeper into the victim's skin. Chicago, Illinois, USA

Cimex lectularius

Bed bugs mating. Laboratory culture at the University of Kentucky.