How many days does bedbug reproduction last? - briefly
The complete reproductive cycle of Cimex lectularius, from egg deposition to the emergence of a fertile adult, typically spans 30 ± 5 days under favorable temperature and humidity. Females continue to lay eggs for up to three months, producing several generations within a single year.
How many days does bedbug reproduction last? - in detail
Bedbugs (Cimex lectularius) reproduce through a series of well‑defined stages that together determine the length of the breeding cycle. After a blood meal, a female mates and stores sperm, allowing repeated fertilization without additional copulation. Egg production begins within 3–5 days, with each female laying 1–5 eggs daily and up to 200 eggs over her lifetime.
The developmental timeline for a single generation is temperature‑dependent:
- Egg incubation: 6–10 days at 25 °C; longer at lower temperatures, up to 14 days at 20 °C.
- First nymphal instar: 4–7 days after hatching.
- Second instar: 5–8 days.
- Third instar: 6–10 days.
- Fourth instar: 7–12 days.
- Fifth instar (final nymphal stage): 8–14 days before molting to the adult.
Under optimal laboratory conditions (25–27 °C, 70–80 % relative humidity), the complete progression from egg to reproductive adult requires approximately 30–45 days. Once adulthood is reached, a female can commence oviposition within 2–7 days, extending the reproductive period for several months if food sources remain available.
Higher ambient temperatures accelerate development, potentially reducing the cycle to 20–25 days, whereas cooler environments prolong each stage, extending the overall duration beyond 60 days. Consequently, the reproductive window for bedbugs varies widely but generally falls within a month to two months under typical indoor conditions.