How do bedbugs mate? - briefly
Male bedbugs sense a female’s pheromones, climb onto her dorsum, and use a specialized abdominal organ to attach and transfer sperm; fertilization takes place internally, and the female stores the sperm for future egg laying. This brief process enables rapid reproduction without prolonged courtship.
How do bedbugs mate? - in detail
Bedbugs reproduce through a process called «traumatic insemination». The male locates a potential partner by detecting cuticular hydrocarbons and body temperature cues. Upon contact, the male mounts the female from the dorsal side and inserts his aedeagus through the abdominal wall, bypassing the genital tract. This direct injection delivers sperm into the hemocoel, where it migrates toward specialized storage organs called spermalege.
The female’s spermalege contains a thin, sclerotized membrane that reduces tissue damage. After insemination, sperm travel through hemolymph to the ovaries, where fertilization of oocytes occurs. Egg development proceeds within the ovaries; mature eggs are expelled through the ovipositor into crevices near the host’s resting places. A single female can lay 200–500 eggs over several weeks, with each clutch containing 5–10 eggs.
Mating frequency influences population growth. Males may mate repeatedly with the same female, and polyandrous behavior is observed, increasing genetic diversity. After copulation, females exhibit reduced locomotor activity, likely to minimize disturbance to developing embryos. Nymphs hatch within 5–10 days, undergoing five instars before reaching adulthood.
Environmental factors such as temperature and host availability affect reproductive timing. Optimal temperatures (24–28 °C) accelerate embryogenesis, while lower temperatures prolong development. Access to blood meals is essential for egg production; females require a blood feed after each oviposition cycle to sustain further fecundity.