How Long Bed Bugs Can Live

Bedbugs can survive six to twelve months without a host. It depends on the species and age of the bugs. Young bugs can’t survive for long without food, while older bugs can survive for a few months without a host. They can live for longer periods in cooler temperatures because they conserve energy. In laboratory conditions, bedbugs have been known to live as long as 400 days without food.

While temperature is the primary factor affecting the bed bug life span, humidity is not a major factor. Very low humidity promotes desiccation, while high humidity can promote the growth of fungus. A temperature of 80 degrees Fahrenheit is the optimum temperature for bedbugs.

In laboratory conditions, adult bedbugs live six to twelve months, but their lifespan can be much shorter in the real world. Temperature, environmental conditions, and the type of blood they feed on play a major role in determining how long a bedbug can live. In the absence of a host, a bedbug can live up to four months as an adult.

Adult bed bugs can reproduce constantly, and an adult female can lay up to five to six eggs daily. This rate of reproduction makes it difficult to eradicate them. Adult females can lay up to 40 eggs in a single week. Their babies will need to go through a nymph stage before they can reproduce.

Continue reading:

Where Do Bed Bugs Look Like? What Time Do Bed Bugs Usually Come Out? What Size Bed Bugs Are in Your Home? What Size Are Bed Bugs When They Bite? What is the Best Way to Get Rid of Bed Bugs? How Much Do Bed Bugs Spread? How Come Bed Bugs Only Bite Me? How Hot Does It Have to Be For Bed Bugs to Die?