When do bedbugs crawl? - briefly
Bedbugs are primarily nocturnal, emerging from hiding places shortly after darkness falls, typically between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. to seek a blood meal. Their activity peaks during the early hours before sunrise.
When do bedbugs crawl? - in detail
Bedbugs (Cimex lectularius) are primarily nocturnal insects. Their locomotion peaks during the dark phase of the photoperiod, typically after the host has fallen asleep. Activity intensifies approximately one to two hours after lights are extinguished, extending through the early morning hours before sunrise.
Key factors influencing the timing of movement:
- Host availability – blood meals are sought when the host is immobile and unaware.
- Temperature – ambient temperatures between 24 °C and 30 °C accelerate metabolic rates, prompting earlier and more frequent excursions.
- Humidity – relative humidity above 50 % supports survival, allowing prolonged foraging periods.
- Life stage – nymphs and adults exhibit similar nocturnal patterns, whereas newly hatched instars may remain closer to refuges, emerging later in the night.
During daylight, bedbugs retreat to concealed harborage sites such as mattress seams, wall cracks, and furniture crevices. They remain motionless, relying on cryptic coloration and reduced metabolic activity to avoid detection. Occasional diurnal movement occurs only under disturbed conditions, elevated temperature, or when starvation forces extended foraging.
Understanding these temporal dynamics assists in scheduling inspections and treatments. Inspection should focus on the early night hours when insects are most active, while heat‑based control methods are most effective when temperatures are maintained above the optimal range for several hours, disrupting the insects’ natural activity cycle.