How Old Are Bed Bugs and Why Are They Hard to Kill?
You may be wondering how old are bed bugs and why they’re hard to kill. The truth is that bed bugs are extremely difficult to kill, and the lifespan of an adult is between one and ten months. It depends on many factors, including temperature and the availability of a host. Under ideal conditions, bed bugs mature within a month, but the longer you leave them alone, the longer you’ll have to wait before you can eliminate them.
Adult bed bugs have flat, brown bodies that are about a quarter of an inch in length and oval in shape. These insects feed every few days and grow up to be about a quarter of an inch long. They only need to feed three to 10 minutes each time to reach adulthood, but they can go days without feeding.
Adult bed bugs can survive without food for up to three months and nymphs can survive for up to a year without food. Because they’re adapted to live without food, they’re not likely to die off on their own. They also shed their exoskeletons several times during their life cycle.
Adult bed bugs are about three-eighths of an inch long and have a flat body similar to an apple seed. Their coloration changes slightly as they go through five stages before they mature. They shed their exoskeleton after each stage, and they feed during the night. They usually cause no symptoms, but their bites can cause an itchy and red rash that lasts about one to three days.