Insect Identification: Bedbugs

Insect Identification Key

Bedbugs have a wide abdomen and overall oval body shape, along with a long, blade-like beak (pictured below in extreme close-up and enhanced purple coloration) that is able to pierce the skin. This particular insect is the common bedbug (Cimex lectularius). Top photo credit: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Piotr Naskrecki. Bottom photo credit: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Janice Harney Carr.

Bedbugs of the Suborder Heteroptera and Order Hemiptera

Based on your answers to the questions, you have identified your insect as being a bedbug, which is in the suborder Heteroptera of the order Hemiptera!

General characteristics:

Bedbugs are small, 4-5 mm insects that feed on human blood. Bites from bedbugs — so called because they frequently inhabit beds — cause bumps that may become itchy, red welts. Symptoms usually don’t arise until several days after the initial bite.

Bedbugs are in the suborder Heteroptera, which is part of the order Hemiptera (the true bugs). To learn about other characteristics of the suborder Heteroptera, click here.

Classification:

Kingdom Animalia
   Phylum Arthropoda
      Subphylum Hexapoda
         Class Insecta
            Order Hemiptera
               Suborder Heteroptera

For a list of all of the orders in this key, click here: List of Orders.

Oops! If this doesn't appear to be the correct identification of your insect, go back through the key and look more carefully at your insect while answering the questions again. Your perseverance will reward you!

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Photos at the top of this website by: Leslie Mertz, Ph.D., LMERTZ@nasw.org.

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