A common question for people going through a bedbug infestation is how long does a bedbug live.

A bed bug lives for four to six months. In ideal conditions, a bedbug can live for up to one year.

Life cycle of a bedbug

The life of a bedbug starts as an egg. An adult female bed bug must have a blood meal to lay eggs.

Bedbug eggs are small, the size of two salt pellets. They are a whitish-cream color and are not easy to spot.

The eggs have a sticky substance covering them. It ensures that the eggs can stick to surfaces before they hatch. The eggs are laid in clusters or singly.

Female bed bugs lay up to 5 eggs daily. They can lay up to 500 eggs in their lifetime. Bedbug eggs hatch in two weeks.

Nymph Stage

As soon as bedbugs are hatched, they get into the nymph stage and start feeding on human blood. Bedbugs pass through four nymph stages before they become adults.

Nymphs look like adult bugs but they are smaller. They are also not yet sexually mature.

The nymphs move through the stages to become an adult in five weeks. Nymphs are yellowish-white while adults are reddish-brown.

Adult Stage

Adult bed bugs need a weekly blood meal, are sexually mature, and bigger than nymphs.

Female adult bed bugs start laying eggs.

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What Affects The Lifespan Of A Bedbug

Temperature

Temperatures affect the lifespan of bed bugs. Bedbugs develop faster and are more active in high temperatures.

The higher the temperature, the quicker the eggs hatch. At high temperatures, bedbug eggs hatch in five weeks.

At 18°C, the eggs will hatch in four months.

Extreme temperatures will kill bedbugs. Bedbugs will not survive at 36°C 6°C.

Food

Food availability also affects how long bedbugs live. Adult bed bugs feed two to three times a week. A blood meal is essential for egg-laying.

However, bed bugs can go for long periods without food. Late-stage nymphs and adult bed bugs can survive between 4.5 months up to one year without a blood meal.

Bedbugs can’t reproduce without food.

Why Do Bedbugs Eat Blood

Like everyone and everything else, bedbugs need food to survive. Blood is their favorite food source.

Female bedbugs need blood meals to lay eggs. Female bedbugs need a blood meal at least three times a week. It allows them to keep laying eggs and increase their population.

Bedbugs not only feed on human blood. They also feed on rodents, pets, and other animals.

How Do Bed Bugs Reproduce And How Often

Bed Bugs reproduce by laying eggs. Female bed bugs lay an egg every day depending on whether they have had a blood meal.

It takes ten days for a bed bug egg to hatch. Bedbugs become sexually mature in about six weeks. At this time, female bed bugs start laying eggs.

You can get a large bedbug infestation in only six weeks.

A bedbug infestation is easy to manage before the bedbugs multiply.

How Do Bed Bugs Reproduce And How Often

Where Do Bed Bugs Live

Bed Bugs like to stay where they have easy access to their food. As a result, you will find bedbugs near where people spend most of their time.

You will find bed bugs in mattresses. In mattresses, bed bugs are as close as possible to food.

Since bedbugs are nocturnal, they can easily reach their food when you sleep.

You will also find bedbugs in other furniture around your home. You will also find bed bugs on the seats of buses, trains, and hotel rooms. When you sit in a place with bed bugs, they will stick to your clothes, and you will carry them to your home or office.

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How Long Do Bed Bugs Live Without Food

Bed Bugs reproduce by laying eggs. Female bed bugs lay an egg every day depending on whether they have had a blood meal.

It takes ten days for a bed bug egg to hatch. Bedbugs become sexually mature in about six weeks. At this time, female bed bugs start laying eggs.

You can get a large bedbug infestation in only six weeks.

A bedbug infestation is easy to manage before the bedbugs multiply.

Bed Bugs can live without food. As a result, you will find bedbugs in empty houses.

Starving bed bugs can live for about 4 months to 6 months without a host.

How long starving bed bugs live depends on the temperature in their surroundings. In ideal temperatures, starving bed bugs can live longer.

Where Do Bed Bugs Hide In An Empty House

Bed Bugs can live in empty houses for up to 6 months. When you are in a vacant house, you cannot see them.

When looking for bedbugs in an empty house, check for any furniture. A single table, sofa, or bed is the most likely hiding place.

Bed Bugs are small and can fit in cracks and crevices in the walls or floor of an empty house.

When moving into a new house, it is advisable to contact a pest exterminator to spray the house before you move in. If there is any furniture that has been unused for a while, make sure it is washed with hot water and dried at high temperatures.

You can also cover mattresses and cushions with airtight covers to contain any bed bugs in them. It will prevent an infestation in your new home.

Where Do Bed Bugs Hide In An Empty House

How To Stop Bedbugs From Spreading

When you confirm the presence of bedbugs in your home, take action immediately to stop them from spreading.

You can use homemade solutions to kill the bedbugs or call professionals.

There are some readily available products in your house you can use to kill or prevent bedbugs from spreading in your home.

Essential oils have a smell that chases away and even kills the bedbugs. Alcohol, baking soda, bleach, vinegar, and diatomaceous earth are available items you can use to kill bed bugs.

You can also carry out a thorough cleaning of your home and clothes, vacuum your bed and mattress, and cover them and furniture with an airtight cover to keep any bedbugs in.

If the infestation is too large to control with homemade solutions, you can call professional pest exterminators.

You will need at least four to six weeks to confirm the containment of the bedbug infestation. If not, you will need another round of extermination until they die.

Signs That There Are Bedbugs In Your Home

Bed Bugs are small and nocturnal creatures. It is difficult to spot them as they can hide in small cracks. However, some signs indicate the presence of bedbugs in your home.

  • Bedbug bites. Bedbugs bite you when you are asleep. They will target the part of your body closest to their hiding spot on your mattress.
  • Blood spots on your bedsheets. You may crush a bedbug in your sleep.
  • A bedbug. Bedbug bites are uncomfortable. You start feeling an itch as soon as they bite and you are likely to awake. You could spot a bedbug escaping after it bites you.
  • Black spots on your bed sheets are also a sign of bedbug presence. Bed Bugs excrete as they feed. The black spots are bed bug poop.
  • Empty shells on your mattress are a sign of bedbug presence. Every time a bedbug feeds, it outgrows its shells and sheds them.

Get A Pest Exterminator Quick

Gotreequotes.com is a free tool that connects homeowners to professional pest exterminators quickly.

At the top of the page, enter your zip code.

Then, fill out the form and provide details on the infestation in your home. Click submit.

In a few minutes, you will receive a minimum of three quotes and advice on how to deal with the infestation from licensed pest exterminators near you.

You can contact them and hire one of them for the job.

Ben McInerney
Author: Ben McInerney - Ben is a qualified arborist with 15 plus years of industry experience in Arboriculture. He ran a successful tree service before turning to writing and publishing. Ben is dedicated to providing users with the most accurate up-to-date information on everything trees.