How long does it take for a bedbug to grow? - briefly
Bedbugs progress from egg to mature adult in roughly five to seven weeks, with development accelerating at higher temperatures (around 30 °C or 86 °F). Cooler conditions can extend the cycle to up to three months.
How long does it take for a bedbug to grow? - in detail
Bedbugs develop through a predictable series of stages, each requiring a blood meal and influenced primarily by temperature and host availability.
The life cycle begins with the egg. Under typical indoor temperatures of about 70 °F (21 °C), an egg hatches in 6–10 days. Warmer conditions accelerate hatching, while cooler environments can extend it to two weeks or more.
After emergence, the insect passes through five nymphal instars. Each instar lasts roughly 5–7 days when the ambient temperature is near 80 °F (27 °C) and a host is readily accessible. The nymph must feed before molting to the next stage; without a blood meal, development stalls. At lower temperatures (below 65 °F/18 °C) each instar may require 10–14 days, lengthening the overall progression.
The final molt produces an adult. Adults can survive for several months without feeding, and under optimal conditions may live up to a year. Reproductive activity begins shortly after the adult stage is reached, with females laying 1–5 eggs per day.
A concise timeline under ideal indoor conditions (70–80 °F, 50–80 % relative humidity) is:
- Egg: 6–10 days
- First instar: 5–7 days
- Second instar: 5–7 days
- Third instar: 5–7 days
- Fourth instar: 5–7 days
- Fifth instar: 5–7 days
- Adult emergence: immediate after fifth molt
Total time from oviposition to adult emergence averages 4–6 weeks. Cooler climates or irregular feeding can extend the cycle to several months. Temperature is the dominant factor; each 10 °F rise roughly halves the duration of each stage, while a 10 °F drop can double it. Availability of a host is the second critical element; without regular blood meals, nymphal development pauses, delaying maturation.