What Is The Lifespan of A Bedbug? Bed bugs can be some of the most frustrating little critters on planet Earth. They break into your house and suck your blood, sort of like mini vampires. Bed bugs can be found almost anywhere. They can be in schools, libraries, and most importantly, homes.
If you have bed bugs in your home, they are most likely in your mattress. Why is this? Bed bugs find solace in mattresses because it is close to their food source. These bugs are usually found within your bed’s frame or its box springs.
Bed bugs also have a very peculiar look to them, so they are easy to spot. They are small, flat, oval-shaped creatures. And if they have just fed, then the sacks on their back will be bright red. A bed bug’s bite is also easy to spot.
Bed bugs leave small, red whelps on your skin once they are finished sucking your blood. Some of these whelps are itchy and painful, while others offer no reaction. Now knowing the basic information of a bed bug, what is a bed bug’s lifespan?
What Is The Lifespan of A Bedbug?
A bed bug lifespan is usually about two to four months. This may not seem like a long time, but just imagine something living under your bed rent free for that long. Some bed bugs have even been found to live for a year under optimal conditions.
Bed bugs lay up to 250 eggs in their relatively short life span. But do not let a short bed bug lifespan confuse you. They can handle quite a lot of business in four months. But what exactly happens in a bed bug’s life in these two to four months?
Life Cycle of a Bed Bug
The life cycle of a bed bug is quite interesting.
First, a bed bug will lay a cluster of white eggs at one time. After about two weeks go by, these white eggs begin to hatch, releasing baby bed bugs. These baby bed bugs are ready to feed on blood the moment they hatch.
And so begins the life of the vampire bug.
The next stage of life for the bed bug is the nymph. This is a fancy name for “young bed bug.” The appearance of a nymph is a little bit different than an adult’s. For example, adult bed bugs tend to be more brown, while nymphs have a more whitish color.
Nymphs need to go through five molts before becoming adults. Nymphs need to have a good blood meal before each molt. The series of five molts takes about five weeks at room temperature. Then they are adults.
But what are some of the easy-to-spot signs that you may have bed bugs?
Signs That Your House May Have Bed Bugs.
When confronting a bed bug problem, you have to first know you have bed bugs in your house. So how do you do that?
The best place to check for bed bugs is under your mattress, box springs, and bed frame. But those are not the only places that these critters can hide. If you think your home or business has bed bugs, also make sure to check behind wallpapers, clocks, and pictures.
Even furniture such as chairs and desks may even become a suitable home for a bed bug. Even though the bed is literally in their name, bed bugs can hide in many other dark crevices and places.
What Is The Lifespan of A Bedbug? – Conclusion
Bed bugs are incredibly small bugs that can do some damage on your skin if left alive.
Living only two to four months, they can give birth to about 250 more bed bugs. This mass production of bed bugs can quickly lead to infestations. More infestations lead to more bites and many more adult bed bugs.
This is why it is best to hire an exterminator the moment you see a bed bug. It is best to kill the source as quickly as possible, trust me.
Hopefully, you have learned a lot more about these pesky creatures after reading this article. Make sure to check for bed bugs in your home often. And if you find them, take them out as soon as possible. You won’t regret it.