How Long Do Bed Bugs Live?

If you’re dealing with bed bugs, then we feel your pain. These pesst could test the patience of a saint. At some point you’ll probably start wondering if these pests will ever go away, or simply die off. That’s a good question. How long do these pests actually live and will they ever die of natural causes? The good news is that bed bugs live for only a short amount of time. But how long is this exactly?

Do bed bugs live forever or will they eventually die?

According to pest experts, bed bugs live for about 10 months to a year. During this time, they feed every 4-5 days. That being said, these bugs can go for weeks without eating when they live inside a mattress. In fact, bed bugs in the lab have been known to survive for more than a year. One good thing is that bed bugs do not breed quickly, at least compared to other pests. Female bed bugs lay one egg per day. Compare this to flies, who can lay 500 eggs in as little as a week.

Once the egg is laid, it takes around 15 days to hatch. From that stage, the bed bug needs about 6 weeks to fully mature, before it can begin laying eggs again. Now, these are all interesting facts. We’ve established that bed bugs live a long time and have a fairly long lifecycle. The problem is that, for most people, this really doesn’t mean anything because bed bugs multiply quickly.

You want to know how to get rid of these pests and you want to do it now. Well, as you can see, bed bugs are fairly tenacious. It’s unlikely that these pests will simply die out on their own. What will more than likely happen, is that your problem will get worse.

What should I do about a bed bug infestation?

Yes, bed bugs live a long time, and this gives them lots of time to breed. Over time their numbers will grow exponentially, and you’ll wish you may feel you are going mad. That’s why you need to nip this problem in the bud. Do not give them a chance to grow and increase their numbers. Stamp these pests out as soon as they start biting.

The best way to get rid of bed bugs completely this is by contacting your local pest controller. We can destroy these vermin with something known as heat treatments. This is a highly advanced method for killing bed bugs. The technique uses a machine which generates heat. Bed bugs are extremely sensitive to this and the heat eventually kills them. Another great thing is that it also kills their eggs and nymphs. This means they cannot lurk in a corner and then bother you again. The point is that you don’t have to endure the misery caused by bed bugs. Get in touch with a pest technician and get this problem handled!