Bed bugs are one of the biggest problems for homeowners when it comes to infestations. They can be hard to get rid of and they stick around for a long time, but exactly how long do they live and what do they get up to when they’re alive?
Get to Know Bed Bugs
There isn’t too much that goes into a bed bug life cycle. They spend all of their time eating, sleeping, and breeding. For as simple as their life is they sure know how to make our lives miserable. Exactly what are the stages of life for a bed bug though?
Eggs
The first stage of life for a bed bug is the egg state. The eggs can be hard to see, though not impossible. They’re white about the size of a pinhead or approximately 1mm in length. A bed bug can lay anywhere between 1 and 7 eggs a day depending on when they breed. It takes around 10 to 15 days for the egg to hatch. At that point, they’re ready to feed.
Nymph State
After the bed bugs hatch, they’re considered nymphs. They look similar to an adult bed bug although they’re much smaller and rather than being a reddish brown like an adult bed bug, nymphs look more yellow. They molt several times before they reach adulthood and they require blood to feed on in order to molt. Within 5 weeks the bed bugs are fully matured and able to reproduce.
Adulthood
The final stage in life for a bed bug is adulthood. Adults feed more frequently than nymphs, sometimes weekly. A bed bug life cycle can take around 7 weeks to complete and they can live somewhere between 4 to 6 months after they reach adulthood, depending on the conditions. However, a bed bug is capable of living up to a year, even without food.
How to Deal With Bed Bugs
Considering that bed bugs breed and can live up to a year, it’s probably not best trying to wait out your bed bug infestation. The first place you should start when trying to eliminate your bed bug problem is to clean everything. Everything from your bedding, mattress, furniture, carpet, and even just cleaning up clutter around your house. Bed bugs mostly live on beds, hence the name bed bug, so making sure that you clean your sheets, pillow cases, and blankets in hot water and then drying with hot air is important. The high heat will kill any bed bugs and eggs that are living in your bedding. To clean your mattress you should thoroughly vacuum it and especially get between the seams. Bed bugs commonly lay their eggs in small cracks, so the seams of your mattress are more than likely lined with eggs. After cleaning, make sure to wrap your mattress in an airtight plastic covering. This will deter any new bed bugs from getting comfortable enough to lay eggs on your bed, as they won’t have access to any small crevices. It will also prevent any bed bugs still on your mattress from spreading more. If you’re still dealing with a bed bug infestation then your last hope is to call professional exterminators to take care of the problem permanently.
Want to Learn More About the Bed Bug Life Cycle?
Bed Bug BBQ has many more blogs on the life of a bed bug and how to deal with them. If you’re interested in learning more about bed bugs then feel free to visit our website or call us at (216) 400-5330
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