What do soldier bedbugs eat? - briefly
Soldier bedbugs consume human blood, biting hosts during sleep to obtain their meals. The insects use a needle‑like proboscis to pierce the skin and ingest the blood needed for development and reproduction.
What do soldier bedbugs eat? - in detail
Soldier‑type bedbugs subsist exclusively on vertebrate blood, with human hosts in barracks representing the primary source. Their feeding cycle follows a strict pattern:
- Host selection: attracted by carbon‑dioxide, heat, and kairomones; most bites occur on exposed skin during nighttime.
- Meal size: each adult ingests 5–10 µl of blood, sufficient to sustain metabolism for several days.
- Nutrient composition: blood supplies hemoglobin, plasma proteins, lipids, and glucose; these macronutrients are essential for molting, reproduction, and energy storage.
- Digestive processing: proteolytic enzymes break down hemoglobin; excess water is excreted as urine, concentrating nutrients for storage in the fat body.
- Reproductive role: protein‑rich blood fuels vitellogenesis; a single female may require up to five blood meals to complete an oviposition cycle, laying 5–7 eggs per meal.
- Alternative hosts: when human occupants are absent, the insects can feed on other mammals (rodents, dogs) or birds, but success rates decline sharply due to reduced host availability and altered feeding cues.
- Fasting capacity: after a full blood meal, individuals can survive 2–6 months without additional feeding, relying on stored lipids and glycogen.
Feeding occurs through a slender, stylet‑like proboscis that pierces the epidermis, injects anticoagulant saliva, and draws blood under negative pressure. The process lasts 5–10 minutes per bite, after which the insect retreats to a hidden harbor. Repeated blood meals are mandatory for each developmental stage; nymphs must feed five times before reaching adulthood.
In summary, the diet consists solely of vertebrate blood, with human blood in military environments providing the optimal nutrient profile for growth, reproduction, and long‑term survival. No other food sources support the complete life cycle.