What do bedbugs eat and how do they reproduce? - briefly
Bedbugs survive by piercing the skin of humans or other warm‑blooded hosts and ingesting their blood, usually during nighttime feeding. After each meal, a female deposits 1–5 eggs in hidden crevices; the eggs hatch in about a week, and the immature insects molt five times before becoming reproductive adults.
What do bedbugs eat and how do they reproduce? - in detail
Bedbugs (Cimex lectularius) survive exclusively on vertebrate blood. They locate a host by detecting carbon‑dioxide, heat, and kairomones released from skin. A single adult consumes 5–10 µl of blood per feeding, enough to sustain it for several days. Feeding occurs at night, when the insect inserts its proboscis into the skin, secretes anticoagulant saliva, and withdraws blood. After a full meal, the insect digests the blood, stores nutrients as lipids, and may survive up to a month without another feed, depending on temperature and host availability.
Reproduction proceeds through traumatic insemination. The male pierces the female’s abdominal wall with a specialized genitalia, delivering sperm directly into the hemocoel. Sperm travel to the spermatheca, where they are stored until oviposition. Females lay 1–5 eggs per day, depositing them in protected crevices near the host’s resting area. Eggs hatch in 6–10 days at 25 °C, releasing first‑instar nymphs (often called “first stadium”). Nymphs undergo five molts before reaching adulthood, each stage requiring a blood meal. Development time ranges from 4 weeks at optimal temperatures (≈28 °C) to several months at lower temperatures. Under favorable conditions, a single female can produce several hundred offspring in her lifetime, enabling rapid population growth.
Key points:
- Diet: Exclusive hematophagy; host‑derived cues trigger feeding; nocturnal activity.
- Feeding frequency: Every 3–10 days after a full blood meal; longer intervals in cooler environments.
- Mating: Traumatic insemination; sperm stored internally.
- Egg laying: 1–5 eggs daily, concealed in cracks; incubation 6–10 days.
- Development: Five nymphal stages, each requiring blood; total maturation 4–8 weeks depending on temperature.
- Reproductive capacity: Hundreds of eggs per female over several months, supporting swift infestations.