How many species of bedbugs exist? - briefly
Taxonomists identify roughly 100 species in the family Cimicidae, and about 30 of these belong to the genus Cimex, the true bedbugs that infest human dwellings. The remaining species parasitize birds, bats, or other mammals.
How many species of bedbugs exist? - in detail
The family Cimicidae comprises roughly 100 described species worldwide. Within this family, the genus Cimex contains about 20 recognized taxa, of which only two—Cimex lectularius (the common bedbug) and Cimex hemipterus (the tropical bedbug)—regularly infest humans. The remaining Cimex species primarily parasitize birds or bats and are restricted to specific geographic regions.
Other genera in the family add further diversity:
- Leptocimex – several species associated with swifts and other aerial birds.
- Oeciacus – parasites of swallows and martins.
- Paracimex – species feeding on rodents and small mammals.
- Primicimex – limited to island habitats, often linked to endemic bat populations.
- Afrocimex and Afrocimicina – African taxa with narrow host ranges.
Taxonomic revisions over the past two decades, driven by molecular phylogenetics, have clarified species boundaries and revealed cryptic lineages, especially within Cimex. These studies suggest that the actual count may exceed the currently accepted number, with several undescribed forms likely awaiting formal description.
In summary, the known inventory of bedbug species approaches one hundred, but only a small fraction directly impacts human dwellings, while the majority occupy specialized ecological niches across birds, bats, and other mammals.