How long can a bedbug live? - briefly
Adult bed bugs usually live 6–12 months, though they can survive up to 18 months without feeding. Their lifespan shortens in cold environments or when food is abundant.
How long can a bedbug live? - in detail
Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) typically survive between six months and one year under normal indoor conditions. Adult insects may live longer when temperatures are moderate (20‑25 °C) and food sources are regularly available.
- Average adult lifespan: 6–12 months with regular blood meals.
- Maximum recorded lifespan: up to 18 months in laboratory settings where temperature remained constant and hosts were present.
- Starvation tolerance: adults can endure 100–150 days without feeding; nymphs survive 30–60 days without blood.
- Temperature influence: at 30 °C, development accelerates and adult life expectancy drops to 4–6 months; at 10 °C, metabolic rates slow, extending survival to 12–18 months but reducing reproductive activity.
- Reproductive output: a female lays 1–5 eggs per day, up to 200 eggs over her lifetime, influencing population turnover more than individual longevity.
The life cycle comprises five nymphal instars, each requiring a blood meal before molting. Development from egg to adult ranges from 4 weeks at 30 °C to 12 weeks at 20 °C. Consequently, a population can persist for years if environmental conditions remain favorable, even though individual bugs rarely exceed 1.5 years.