How Many Eggs Do Bed Bugs Lay?
WouterThe number of eggs that bed bugs lay depends on their diet and the frequency of blood feedings. A single bed bug can lay anywhere from five to twenty eggs after a blood meal. If the food source is not available for a few days, the bed bug may stop producing eggs and instead live in a dormant state, not laying any eggs.
Bed bug eggs are a translucent white or off-white color and are most easily observed in clusters. They are typically laid in cracks and joints. They can range from fully transparent to pearl white and are about a tenth of an inch long. The eggs are so small that you may not be able to crush them with a nail.
Female bed bugs lay eggs daily, and it takes anywhere from one to seven days for the eggs to hatch. This timeframe is different for different environments. If the temperature of the environment is warmer, the eggs will hatch faster. In cooler climates, they may take longer. In general, eggs will hatch between seven and twelve days, depending on the temperature of the environment.
After hatching from their eggs, the adult female bed bug can lay up to three or more eggs each day. This means that a single female bed bug can lay up to 500 eggs in her lifetime. The eggs hatch after seven to twelve days and are accompanied by the nymph stage. The newly hatched nymph is similar to an adult bed bug, only much smaller. In addition, it sheds its skin five times before reaching maturity.
