What do bedbugs feed on and how long do they live? - briefly
Bedbugs subsist solely on the blood of humans and other warm‑blooded hosts, usually biting during nighttime. Adults survive roughly six to twelve months, while nymphs develop over several weeks and can endure months without a meal.
What do bedbugs feed on and how long do they live? - in detail
Bedbugs obtain nourishment exclusively from the blood of warm‑blooded animals, most commonly humans. They locate a host by detecting carbon dioxide, body heat, and movement. Once attached, a female inserts an elongated mouthpart called a proboscis and draws blood for 3–10 minutes before withdrawing. Feeding occurs only at night, when the host is immobile, and each bite delivers 0.2–0.5 µL of blood. After a meal, the insect digests the protein and stores it as fat, enabling it to survive several weeks without another feeding. Nymphs require a blood meal to molt to the next stage; each of the five instars must feed once before progressing.
The life cycle comprises egg, five nymphal stages, and adult. Females lay 1–5 eggs per day, depositing 200–500 eggs over a lifetime. Eggs hatch in 6–10 days at 22–25 °C. Each nymphal molt takes 5–10 days when a blood meal is available; development slows dramatically at lower temperatures or in the absence of hosts. Under ideal indoor conditions (≈27 °C, 70 % relative humidity), adults can live 4–6 months, with females generally outliving males. In cooler environments or when food is scarce, adults may enter a state of dormancy, extending survival up to 12 months. Reproductive females typically survive longer because accumulated fat reserves sustain them through prolonged periods without feeding.