How Soon Will Bed Bugs Show Up?
A bed bug infestation can be detected by its red stains on bedding and black fecal stains, hatched eggshells and other visible signs. The fecal material can also be helpful in determining the length of time the infestation has been active. Large fecal stains may indicate that the bugs are feeding on human blood.
Bed bugs reproduce by feeding on human blood. The females will lay at least five eggs every day for ten days. The eggs will hatch in seven to ten days and will develop into nymphs in five weeks. Once they reach maturity, the nymphs will reproduce continuously as long as they receive a regular blood supply. Once the nymphs reach adulthood, they will mate with the male offspring. Bedbugs can produce up to 5,000 eggs in six months.
Although bedbugs don’t transmit diseases, they are hardy and may enter your home undetected. Despite their small size, they can hide in places like the seams of your luggage, folds in your clothes and even in your bedding. They are able to move from one room to another as they search for a new meal. This is why you should seek professional help if you suspect a bedbug infestation.
In addition to biting, bedbugs also inject small amounts of saliva into their hosts, which may trigger an allergic reaction. However, bites from bedbugs are usually not visible until a skin reaction occurs. Moreover, it may take 14 days or more for the symptoms to manifest. This is because bedbugs only reproduce once they reach maturity. A female bedbug can lay up to seven eggs in a single day and hundreds over the course of her lifetime.