How long do bedbugs survive in an apartment without people?

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How long do bedbugs survive in an apartment without people? - briefly
Adult bed bugs can endure up to six months without feeding, and cooler environments may prolong survival to around a year. Nymphs generally last two to three months without a host.

How long do bedbugs survive in an apartment without people? - in detail
Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) can remain viable in a vacant residence for an extended period because they are adapted to survive long intervals without a blood meal. Adult insects are capable of living for several months when deprived of hosts; under favorable conditions they may persist up to 300 days. Several factors determine the exact survival time.

Temperature:

20‑25 °C (68‑77 °F) with moderate humidity allows adults to survive 4‑6 months.
Cooler environments (10‑15 °C) slow metabolism, extending survival to 9‑12 months.
Temperatures above 35 °C (95 °F) are lethal within days; prolonged exposure to 45 °C (113 °F) kills all stages in less than an hour.

Humidity:

Relative humidity of 50‑80 % prevents desiccation and supports maximal longevity.
Very low humidity (<30 %) accelerates dehydration, reducing adult lifespan to 2‑3 months.

Life‑stage resilience:

Eggs hatch in 6‑10 days when conditions are suitable; newly emerged nymphs require a blood meal to molt.
In the absence of a host, nymphal stages can survive several weeks, but the overall population declines as each molt is missed.
Adult females can store enough nutrients to endure months without feeding, while males generally have shorter survival spans.

Sheltering sites:

Cracks, crevices, mattress seams, and wall voids provide microclimates that retain moisture and protect insects from temperature fluctuations, thereby lengthening survival.
Removal of clutter and thorough cleaning eliminates many of these refuges, reducing the duration that bugs can persist.

Population dynamics:

An established infestation may retain a small residual cohort for many months, allowing rapid resurgence once a host returns.
A newly introduced single bed bug is unlikely to survive beyond 2‑3 months without a blood source.

In practice, a fully infested apartment left empty can harbor viable adults for up to a year, especially if the building maintains stable, moderate climate conditions and provides ample hiding places. Conversely, extreme temperatures, low humidity, and thorough de‑cluttering can compress the survival window to a few weeks. Effective control measures should therefore consider both environmental manipulation and physical removal of refuge sites to eliminate the pest before re‑occupation.