How many eggs does a bed bug lay per day? - briefly
A female Cimex lectularius usually lays between one and five eggs each day, commonly averaging two to three under favorable conditions. Over its lifetime, a single adult can produce several hundred eggs.
How many eggs does a bed bug lay per day? - in detail
Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) produce eggs only after a blood meal. A well‑fed adult female can deposit between 1 and 5 eggs per day, with most studies reporting an average of 2–3. Egg output depends on several factors:
- Temperature: 24‑30 °C (75‑86 °F) yields the highest daily rates; cooler conditions reduce production.
- Blood source: Larger, uninterrupted meals increase the number of eggs laid.
- Female age: Newly moulted adults lay fewer eggs; peak fecundity occurs after the first few weeks of adulthood.
- Health and stress: Exposure to insecticides or crowding can suppress oviposition.
Eggs are laid in protected clusters of 5‑10, each encased in a sticky cement that adheres to surfaces near host resting sites. The incubation period ranges from 6 to 10 days, shortening as temperature rises. Over a lifetime, a single female can lay 200‑500 eggs, depending on environmental conditions and survival.
In practice, monitoring programs assume an average of 2.5 eggs per day per fertilized female when estimating infestation growth. This figure aligns with laboratory observations under optimal temperature and feeding conditions.