The Life Stages Of Bed Bugs

What do bed bugs look like? Bed bugs are nocturnal, reddish-brown insects that feed on the blood of humans and other warm-blooded animals. They are wingless insects and have oval, flattened bodies, allowing them to hide in small spaces  such as voids and crevices in beds, floor cracks, cracked baseboards, carpets, mattress folds and seams, inside furniture and even upholstered furniture.

Did you know bed bug populations can double about once every 16 days? That means if you have 500 bed bugs present on one day, you could end up with 1,000 in just over two weeks. Check out the 5 Most Interesting Facts About Bed Bugs.

Here are the life stages of a bed bug and how they grow from egg to adult bed bug. Learn more about how to identify bed bugs. 

Stage 1: Bed Bug Eggs

A bed bug’s life begins as an egg, which is about 1mm long, milky-white in colour. Female bed bugs lay on average about 3 eggs  each day and may lay up to three hundred eggs within a lifetime. The more access a female bed bug has to regular blood meals, the higher the number of egg batches it will produce. Bed bug eggs are laid either singly or in clusters glued on surfaces  in tight cracks and crevices or enclosures. Eggs hatch within a week and the newly hatched  bed bugs (nymphs)  will immediately begin to feed. Under optimal conditions, up to 97% of bed bug eggs hatch successfully, causing the likelihood of a bed bug infestation to be high. 

Stage 2: Bed Bug Nymphs

Immature  bed bugs, or nymphs, pass through five molts (developing  stages) before reaching maturity. Nymphs are  similar to adults but are smaller in size and are not sexually mature. Nymphs are also yellow-white in colour, while adults are reddish-brown. To complete a molting stage, a nymph requires a blood meal. A newly hatched nymph can’t travel far to locate a host, so if it can’t secure a blood meal, it will die of dehydration within a few days.  However, studies have shown that under favourable conditions, more than 80% of nymphs will survive to become adults. Nymphs molt and become adults within four weeks at room temperatures.

Stage 3: Adult Bed Bugs

The lifespan of a bed bug most commonly ranges from four to six months. Some bed bugs may live for years and can go months without feeding. Adult bed bugs have a flattened body and their skin colour is either rust brown or a deeper red brown. 

What Do Bed Bug Bites Look Like?

Bed bug bites look like red, raised bumps and can appear anywhere from seconds to weeks after a bite has occurred. They are often difficult to diagnose because other biting insects can cause similar reactions. Watch for other bed bug signs to diagnose that it is in fact a bed bug bite. Bed bug bites may be itchy or inflamed for some, but symptoms typically resolve after a week’s time.

Orkin Canada can Help Treat & Control Bed Bug Infestations in Your Home or Business

Want to know how to get rid of bed bugs? Contact us today to schedule a bed bug inspection.