What is the English name for a bedbug? - briefly
The insect is called a “bed bug” in English (often written as a single word, “bedbug”).
What is the English name for a bedbug? - in detail
The insect commonly referred to in English as a bed bug belongs to the species Cimex lectularius. A related tropical species, Cimex hemipterus, shares the same common name.
Taxonomic placement:
- Order: Hemiptera (true bugs)
- Suborder: Heteroptera
- Family: Cimicidae
- Genus: Cimex
- Species: C. lectularius (primary species) and C. hemipterus (tropical counterpart)
Physical characteristics:
- Length: 4–5 mm when unfed, expanding to 6–7 mm after a blood meal
- Color: reddish‑brown, flattening after feeding
- Body: oval, dorsoventrally flattened, wingless, with five visible abdominal segments
Habitat and behavior:
- Prefer concealed locations near sleeping humans: mattress seams, headboards, cracks in walls or furniture
- Nocturnal feeders; emerge after host detects a temperature rise and carbon‑dioxide plume
- Can survive several months without a blood meal, enhancing persistence in infested dwellings
Geographic distribution:
- Found worldwide in temperate and tropical regions
- Spread primarily through human travel and transport of infested luggage, furniture, or clothing
Health impact:
- Bites produce itchy, red welts; repeated feeding may cause allergic reactions
- No confirmed role as a vector for infectious diseases, yet psychological distress and secondary skin infections are documented
Terminology notes:
- “Bed bug” is the standard English label; occasional synonyms include “cimex” (derived from the genus name) and “bed bug” written as a single word in informal contexts
- Scientific literature consistently uses the Latin binomial Cimex lectularius for the common species.