Photo by:
Dorling Kindersley
Bed Bug, small, flat, oval bloodsucking insect, with a reddish-brown color, reduced wings, and an unpleasant odor. The common bed bug infests houses, particularly beds. It hides during the day and feeds at night, sucking the blood of humans and other mammals. Two to four generations are produced yearly, depending on the temperature and the food supply. The nymphs resemble the adults, and they mature in about 11 weeks. Other species of bed bugs feed on bats and certain birds .
Scientific classification: Bed bugs make up the family Cimicidae. The common bed bug is classified as Cimex lectularius.