Do Bed Bugs Drink Animal Blood?
WouterThe answer to the question, “Do bed bugs drink animal blood?” is no. Although bed bugs do not require blood to grow, they do need some nutrients to lay their eggs and develop into adults. Depending on the species, they feed as often as every five to ten days. However, it’s worth noting that they do need food to survive for five to 10 days without feeding.
Although they do not transmit disease, bed bugs do like the taste of human blood. Although three species of bed bugs are specifically adapted to feed on human blood, the majority will feed on any type of blood. In particular, the Cimex lectularius species loves human blood. Human blood is also an excellent source of nutrients for these insects.
A bed bug’s diet is essentially their only food source. They are called hematophagous. That means they feed on human blood and not other types of animal blood. Since blood contains a lot of proteins and fats, it’s a great source of energy for these insects. Other hematophagous insects include mosquitos, vampire bats, and certain types of butterfly. The key to preventing a bedbug infestation is to get rid of the source of their food.
Bedbugs usually bite people at night, but they also feed during the day. When bitten, the bugs will use their long, elongated beak to extract blood from human skin. This process takes three to ten minutes, and is painless. While they do not attach to humans, their bites may cause a psychological reaction in some people.
