How long can bedbugs live without blood? - briefly
Adult bedbugs can endure without a blood meal for roughly 4–6 months, extending up to a year under cool, low‑activity conditions. Nymphs survive a shorter period, typically a few weeks to a couple of months.
How long can bedbugs live without blood? - in detail
Bedbugs are capable of enduring extended periods without feeding, but the exact length varies with environmental conditions and life stage.
Adult insects can survive for several months when temperatures remain moderate (approximately 20‑25 °C). Laboratory studies have recorded survival times of up to 300 days under these conditions. When temperatures drop below 10 °C, metabolic rates decline sharply, allowing adults to persist for a year or more, although activity ceases and they enter a dormant state.
Nymphal stages are less tolerant of starvation. First‑instar nymphs typically survive only a few weeks without a blood source, while later instars may endure up to two to three months, depending on temperature and humidity.
Key factors influencing starvation endurance include:
- Temperature: higher temperatures increase metabolic demand, shortening survival; cooler environments prolong it.
- Humidity: low relative humidity accelerates dehydration, reducing lifespan; moderate humidity (50‑70 %) supports longer survival.
- Developmental stage: adults possess larger energy reserves than early nymphs, granting them greater resilience.
- Food availability prior to deprivation: insects that have recently fed store more nutrients, extending the starvation period.
In practical terms, a well‑fed adult bedbug in a temperate indoor environment can remain alive for up to nine months without a blood meal, while colder, drier conditions may extend this to a year. Nymphs, especially the youngest, will die within weeks under similar circumstances.