Bed bug Life Stages
Bedbugs
and Eggs
Bed bugs are nocturnal, brown insects that feed on the blood of humans and other warm-blooded animals. These wingless insects have dorsoventrally-flattened bodies that allow them to hide in areas such as floor cracks, carpets, beds and upholstered furniture.
Bed bugs in the US
A bed bug's life begins with an egg, grain-like and milky-white in color. Female bed bugs lay between five and 12 eggs each day and may lie up to five hundred eggs within one lifetime. Eggs are laid singly or in clusters and are placed within tight cracks or crevices. The egg is approximately one millimeter in length and is comparable in size to two grains of salt. Within two weeks, eggs hatch and immature bed bugs begin immediately to feed.
These young bed bugs, or nymphs, pass through five molts before reaching maturity. Although nymphs appear similar to adults, they are smaller in size and are not yet sexually mature. Nymphs are also yellow-white in color, while adults are reddish-brown. In order to complete a molting stage, each nymph requires a blood meal. At room temperature, nymphs molt and become adults within five weeks.
Upon reaching maturity, bed bug adults require weekly feedings. The life span of a bed bug most commonly ranges from four to six months. However, some bed bugs may live for years.