Can Bed Bugs Eat Anything Other Than Blood?
WouterBed bugs are very resilient and can survive for months without feeding. However, increased temperatures will shorten their survival period. Bed bugs have an interesting survival strategy – they go into a type of hibernation. This means they will not eat for days or even weeks. Instead, they will generate a “hunger bubble” in their abdomens, which fills up the space that a meal would normally take.
While bed bugs will feed on human blood, they can also feed on other warm-blooded animals such as rodents, birds, and bats. These creatures are classified as parasites because they feed on the leftovers and nutrients of their hosts. In this category, bed bugs fall into the first category.
Although pesticides can help prevent the bugs from multiplying, they will not kill them. This is why professional bed bug treatment companies employ methods that do not use pesticides on mattresses, sheets, and pillows. This allows them to reach and kill the bugs without spraying them or causing harm to your home. Moreover, these treatments are effective only against adult bed bugs and not against larvae. You can also try to kill the bugs by raising the temperature in the area where you live.
The lifespan of the bed bug depends on the type and quantity of the blood they consume. Adult bed bugs can live for up to 200 days without food. However, if they are not provided with the right amount of blood, their lifespan can only be three to five months. In addition to the long life span, they can hide for a long time before laying eggs.
