What will happen to bedbugs if one does not live in the apartment? - briefly
Without a host, bedbugs will eventually starve and die, although they can survive several weeks without feeding. If the dwelling stays vacant for months, the infestation will usually collapse due to the lack of blood meals and environmental stress.
What will happen to bedbugs if one does not live in the apartment? - in detail
Bed bugs can persist in an empty dwelling for several months, but their population dynamics change markedly without a regular blood source.
Without human hosts, adult insects enter a state of reduced activity known as “starvation mode.” Metabolic rates drop, and insects may remain dormant for up to 100 days, depending on temperature and humidity. During this period, females cease oviposition, and existing eggs hatch slowly because larvae also lack nourishment.
If the environment stays cool (15‑20 °C) and dry (relative humidity below 50 %), survival rates decline. Mortality rises sharply after two to three months, with most adults dying before reaching the fourth month. Warmer, more humid conditions (25‑30 °C, humidity 70 %+) extend survivability, allowing some individuals to persist for six months or longer.
Should the apartment be periodically accessed by other insects or small mammals, bed bugs may opportunistically feed on alternative hosts, prolonging their existence. However, such incidental meals are rare in a sealed, uninhabited space.
When the unit is eventually reoccupied, any surviving bugs can quickly resume feeding and reproduction. A single surviving female can lay 200–300 eggs over several weeks, rebuilding the infestation rapidly. Conversely, if the vacancy lasts beyond the typical survival window—four to six months under average indoor conditions—the likelihood of a viable population remaining becomes low, and the unit may be effectively cleared of bed bugs without active treatment.
Key factors influencing outcomes:
- Temperature: Higher temperatures increase metabolic activity and extend starvation tolerance.
- Humidity: Moderate humidity supports egg viability; low humidity accelerates desiccation.
- Access to alternative hosts: Rare, but possible in buildings with rodents or birds.
- Duration of vacancy: Mortality escalates after two months; near‑total die‑off after four‑six months under typical indoor conditions.
In summary, an unoccupied apartment does not guarantee immediate eradication of bed bugs, but prolonged vacancy combined with unfavorable environmental conditions dramatically reduces their numbers, often eliminating the infestation before re‑occupation.