A dusty disguise Masked hunter (Reduvius personatus) nymph wearing dust and lint as camouflage. (more) masked hunter insect Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Print print Print Please select which sections you would like to print: Table Of Contents Cite verifiedCite While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Select Citation Style MLA APA Chicago Manual of Style Copy Citation Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/animal/masked-hunter Feedback Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

　　External Websites Ask the Chatbot a Question Also known as: Reduvius personatus, kissing bug, masked bedbug hunter Written by Written by Melissa Petruzzello Melissa Petruzzello is Assistant Managing Editor and covers a range of content including plants, algae, and fungi; insects and spiders; and renewable energy and environmental engineering. She also handles... Melissa Petruzzello Fact-checked by Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Sep. 26, 2025 •Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot Also called: masked bedbug hunter (Show more) { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What is the masked hunter? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "The masked hunter, also known as the masked bedbug hunter, is a species of nocturnal assassin bug known for camouflaging itself with dust and other debris during its nymphal stage. Originally from Europe, the insect has been introduced into parts of the United States, Canada, Australia, and India as well as other localities around the world. It can be found outdoors and in human dwellings, and it is considered a minor indoor nuisance." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What does the masked hunter eat? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "The masked hunter eats primarily small arthropods, such as termites, earwigs, lacewings, and pill bugs, and it also preys on such pests as bedbugs and flies when it enters homes." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " Is the masked hunter dangerous to humans? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "The masked hunter can bite humans when threatened, causing pain and localized swelling, but it does not feed on human blood or transmit diseases." } } ] } Top Questions What is the masked hunter? The masked hunter, also known as the masked bedbug hunter, is a species of nocturnal assassin bug known for camouflaging itself with dust and other debris during its nymphal stage. Originally from Europe, the insect has been introduced into parts of the United States, Canada, Australia, and India as well as other localities around the world. It can be found outdoors and in human dwellings, and it is considered a minor indoor nuisance.

　　What does the masked hunter eat? The masked hunter eats primarily small arthropods, such as termites, earwigs, lacewings, and pill bugs, and it also preys on such pests as bedbugs and flies when it enters homes.

　　Is the masked hunter dangerous to humans? The masked hunter can bite humans when threatened, causing pain and localized swelling, but it does not feed on human blood or transmit diseases.

　　masked hunter, (Reduvius personatus), species of nocturnal assassin bug widely known for its ability to camouflage itself as a ball of dust during its nymphal stage. The masked hunter lives chiefly outdoors, where it eats termites, earwigs, lacewings, pill bugs, and other arthropods. It sometimes enters homes and other dwellings, where it preys on such insects as bedbugs and flies. Originally a central European species, the insect has been introduced into parts of the United States and Canada, Australia, and India as well as other localities around the world. The masked hunter is considered a minor indoor nuisance; it does not damage fabrics or eat stored food. The insect will bite humans when threatened, causing pain and localized swelling, but—unlike kissing bugs, to which it is related—it does not feed on human blood or transmit diseases.

　　TaxonomyKingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ArthropodaClass: InsectaOrder: HemipteraSuborder: HeteropteraFamily: ReduviidaeGenus: ReduviusSee also list of true bugs.

　　Masked hunterAn adult masked hunter (Reduvius personatus) resting on stems.(more)As an insect, the masked hunter has a body formed of a head, a thorax, and an abdomen as well as six legs. The adult is brownish black and measures roughly 15 to 22 mm (0.6 to 0.87 inch) long. It has a flattened abdomen and a triangular thorax that tapers to a small head. A predatory assassin bug, it uses its short three-segmented beak to pierce prey and then suck the body fluids from it. When not in use, the retractable mouthparts characteristically tuck into a groove between the front legs, beneath the head and thorax.

　　Like most other true bugs (suborder Heteroptera), the masked hunter has two pairs of wings. The unusual forewings (called hemelytra) are stiff and have an oblique line that abruptly separates a leathery basal half from a membranous apical half. The hind wings are thin, delicate membranes that are folded under the protective forewings when at rest.

　　The masked hunter undergoes incomplete metamorphosis (hemimetabolism) with three main stages: egg, nymph, and adult. The nymph resembles the adult in form and eating habits but differs in size, body proportions, and color pattern. Moreover, the nymph has only rudimentary wings and cannot fly. It is during this stage that the body, legs, and antennae become covered with sticky hairs that catch pieces of lint, dust, soil, and other debris. Such camouflage helps protect the immature insect from predators and allows it to ambush unwitting prey. Development is gradual, through a series of molts (periodic shedding of the exoskeleton), and the adult form emerges from the final molt to reproduce.

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