What do wood bedbugs eat? - briefly
Wood-dwelling bedbugs are hematophagous insects that subsist on the blood of mammals, primarily rodents, bats, and occasionally humans that inhabit wooden structures. They do not ingest wood; their diet is limited to these animal hosts.
What do wood bedbugs eat? - in detail
Wood‑dwelling bedbugs are obligate hematophages, meaning their diet consists exclusively of vertebrate blood. Adult insects and nymphs pierce the skin of a host with a specialized proboscis, inject anticoagulants, and ingest the resulting fluid. The primary hosts are humans, but the insects will also accept other mammals—cats, dogs, rodents—as well as birds when human occupants are unavailable.
Key aspects of their feeding biology include:
- Host selection: Preference for warm‑blooded mammals; attraction driven by carbon dioxide, heat, and skin odors.
- Feeding frequency: Nymphs require a blood meal after each molt; adults typically feed every 4–7 days under optimal conditions, extending to weeks when temperatures drop.
- Meal size: An adult consumes 5–10 µL of blood per feeding, providing sufficient protein, lipids, and carbohydrates to support egg production and metabolic maintenance.
- Nutrient utilization: Blood proteins are digested into amino acids for tissue growth; lipids supply energy reserves; the sugar content (glucose, trehalose) fuels immediate activity.
- Survival without feeding: Adults can endure several months without a host by reducing metabolic rate and relying on stored lipids.
The life cycle is tightly linked to feeding opportunities. After a blood meal, a female lays 1–5 eggs per day, each requiring a separate feeding event to develop into a mature adult. Environmental factors such as temperature (optimal 22–28 °C) and humidity (≥50 %) accelerate digestion and increase feeding frequency, while cooler or drier conditions prolong the interval between meals.
In summary, wood‑associated bedbugs subsist solely on vertebrate blood, with host range, meal size, and feeding intervals dictated by developmental stage and ambient conditions. Their strict reliance on this nutrient source underpins control strategies that target host access and environmental parameters.