The 7 Stages Of The Bed Bug Life Cycle
Being aware of the bed bug life cycle can help you in your efforts to combat bed bugs at home or on holidays.
When you suspect the presence of bed bugs at home or in a hotel room, you should first examine your mattress and bedding for signs of these wingless, reddish-brown insects. As part of the bed bug life cycle, bed bugs shed their outer shell leaving telltale signs of a bed bugs infestation.
Look for bed bug eggs as well as the bed bugs themselves, but keep in mind that bed bugs vary in size depending on where they’re at in their bed bug life cycle.
Bed Bug Eggs
Bed bug eggs are shorter than a millimetre in length, so it can be very difficult to see them with the naked eye. They’re white and grain-like in appearance, about the same size as a couple of flecks of salt, and they’re laid where the bed bugs harbour.
Baby Bed Bugs
Don’t be fooled by their size: Baby bed bugs can and will bite you just as easily as their adult counterparts do.
When bed bug eggs hatch, baby bed bugs, also known as nymphs, will pass through five distinct life stages before maturing to adulthood.
Nymphs need one blood meal in order to “molt” to the next life stage, becoming larger with each stage. The full bed bug life-cycle process can take as little as 5 weeks and as long as 4-6 months.
FACT: Bed bugs are nocturnal – while you’re fast asleep, they’re wide awake!
Adult Bed Bugs
The adult life span is anywhere from 4-6 months to 18 months, so these little critters live for a very long life. Females can lay between 1 and 5 eggs each day – one of the reasons why these bugs can be so difficult to get rid of.
FACT: female bed bugs can lay up to 500 eggs in a lifetime.
How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs
It’s very easy to get rid of bed bugs without hiring an expensive pest controller who spray toxic chemicals throughout your home. Try our organic DIY Bed Bug Killer powder, for more information click here
FACT: some bed bugs can live for 18 months without feeding.
Need to Treat Your Bed Bug Rash?
You often don’t realise you have bed bugs until you wake up with an itchy and uncomfortable bed bug rash. To learn about some simple options to treat bed bug rash click here.
Want to read more about bed bugs? Find out more here.
Want to read more about bed bug bites? Find out more here.
Are You Looking for an Organic DIY Treatment for Bed Bugs?
Watch Our DIY Bed Bug Treatment Video For An Ensemble Bed
Lupe says
Will the bed bugs move into drawers with clean clothes to hide from power and chemicals that are used to kills these creatures?
Bed Bug Barrier says
Hi Lupe. Our system uses Bed Bug Barriers which stop the bed bugs from leaving the bed after you do a treatment. Our powder has no smell and is non-toxic so it doesn’t spread bed bugs to other parts of the room. Regards Tony
Patti Ward says
Is this harmful to birds and cat?
Bed Bug Barrier says
Hi Patti. The powder is not harmful to birds or cats. It is a non-toxic organic powder. Regards Tony
Madeline says
Tony/anyone else who may know,
Can bedbugs be brought into the house from buying organic soil in a sealed plastic bag for potted house plants?
Bed Bug Barrier says
Hi Madeline
Bed bugs cant be brought into your home in a bag of soli.
Regards
Tony
Alyssa says
What is the best way to spot these annoying bed bugs and where to look for? My mother started scaring me and telling me those weird stories and managed to make me very aware of them. Does your DE powder act good as a repellant and how long does one applying last?
Bed Bug Barrier says
The best way to find bed bugs is to check your bed, bed frame and mattress. You should see evidence such as stains, shells or a bed bug nest
Tony Abrahams says
HI Nathan. Bed Bug Killer powder has many advantages over poisons because it is non toxic, long lasting and very cost effective.
Nathan says
How come pests are so small and hard to see but reproduce very quickly as well? Honestly, we have little to no chances of killing them if we rely only on strong, toxic sprays because these bugs seem to have a solution for everything. This made me more aware and I think I will give your popular Bed Bug Killer a try.
Ramona says
“Some bed bugs can live for 18 months without feeding” – this one scared me a bit. How is it even possible for them to survive for so long without sucking our blood? No wonder it’s hard to get rid of them; they started adapting to everything we throw at them. This also means that if you aren’t experiencing any red marks, it doesn’t mean you don’t have bed bugs.
Bed Bug Barrier says
That’s correct Ramona.
Carrie says
Seeing this chart of the bed bug life cycle grossed me out even more! I can’t stand bed bugs and I’m always extra cautious when I’m travelling. I’d rather pay a bit more and know that I’m staying in a nice, clean hotel than come home and fill my home with bed bugs. They are such a pest!
Tony Abraham says
They might look scary but the are very easy to treat with our non toxic Bed Bug Killer powder
Annie Marie Peters says
Ah! I’ve been trying to identify what a bed bug actually looks like, and now I realize I have them. The life cycle graphic is very helpful for knowing what stage they are in. Thank you very much for posting this.
Tony Abrahams says
Glad I could help Annie Marie.