What do bedbugs eat and how do they live? - briefly
Bedbugs subsist exclusively on the blood of humans or other warm‑blooded hosts, feeding primarily at night while the host sleeps. They reside in protected cracks and seams near sleeping areas, laying eggs that hatch into nymphs which must take a blood meal before each molting stage.
What do bedbugs eat and how do they live? - in detail
Bedbugs are obligate hematophages; they obtain nourishment exclusively from the blood of warm‑blooded hosts. Their mouthparts form a thin, needle‑like proboscis that pierces skin, injects anticoagulant saliva, and draws a meal of approximately 0.1–0.2 ml. Feeding typically occurs at night when the host is immobile, and each bite may last from 3 to 10 minutes. A single adult can ingest blood up to five times its body weight, supporting metabolism, growth, and egg production.
The life cycle comprises five nymphal stages and an adult stage. After hatching, a first‑instar nymph requires a blood meal before molting to the second instar. Each subsequent instar repeats this pattern: one blood meal triggers ecdysis, and the process continues until the fifth molt, after which the insect reaches sexual maturity. Under optimal conditions (temperature 24–30 °C, relative humidity 70–80 %), development from egg to adult may complete in 4–6 weeks. Cooler or drier environments extend the duration, and adults can survive several months without feeding.
Reproduction occurs via traumatic insemination; the male pierces the female’s abdominal wall with his intromittent organ, depositing sperm directly into the hemocoel. Females store sperm and lay 1–5 eggs per day, embedding them in crevices near the host’s resting sites. Egg incubation lasts 6–10 days, after which nymphs emerge and begin the feeding‑molting cycle.
Habitat preferences center on proximity to a regular blood source. Bedbugs hide in mattress seams, box‑spring folds, headboards, furniture joints, and wall cracks during daylight. Their flattened bodies enable movement through narrow fissures. When not feeding, they remain motionless, reducing metabolic demand and extending survivorship. They aggregate using aggregation pheromones, which promote group formation and enhance mating opportunities.
Survival strategies include:
- Desiccation resistance: cuticular lipids limit water loss.
- Thermal tolerance: can endure temperatures as low as 0 °C for weeks and survive brief exposures to 45 °C.
- Behavioral avoidance: retreat to concealed locations when disturbed or exposed to light.
In summary, these insects rely solely on vertebrate blood, progress through five blood‑dependent developmental stages, reproduce via traumatic insemination, and persist by occupying protected microhabitats near their hosts, employing physiological and behavioral adaptations to endure adverse conditions.