How long do chicken bed bugs live?

How long do chicken bed bugs live? - briefly

Adult chicken bed bugs typically live 6 – 12 months, depending on temperature and food availability. Nymphs develop into adults within 4 – 5 weeks and then follow the same lifespan pattern.

How long do chicken bed bugs live? - in detail

The lifespan of the parasite that infests poultry varies with temperature, humidity and access to blood. Under typical farm conditions an adult can survive for four to six weeks without a meal, but when hosts are regularly available the individual may live for two to three months. In optimal, warm environments with constant feeding, some specimens have been recorded to persist for up to a year.

The complete development cycle proceeds through several stages:

  • Egg: laid on crevices, hatches in three to five days at 25 °C.
  • Five nymphal instars: each requires a blood meal, molts approximately every four to seven days.
  • Adult: begins reproduction after the final molt, continues feeding and laying eggs for the remainder of its life.

Adult mortality accelerates when temperatures drop below 10 °C or when relative humidity falls beneath 50 %. In the absence of a host, individuals can endure several months by entering a dormant state, emerging when conditions improve.

Overall, the parasite’s longevity ranges from a few weeks without feeding to several months, potentially reaching a year when environmental factors are favorable and hosts are continuously present.