What's the Real Timeline for Bedbug Eggs to Hatch?
Understanding the real timeline for bedbug eggs to hatch helps exterminators when dealing with pest removal.
Bedbugs breed fast, leading to a full infestation quickly. The eggs laid are resilient and hardy, making them challenging to eliminate. Understanding the real timeline for bedbug eggs to hatch helps exterminators when dealing with pest removal.
The number of eggs laid
Female bedbugs only lay eggs once they've fed. With food access, a female bedbug can consistently lay eggs throughout their lifetime (one year). After one meal, the female bug lays approximately 20 eggs in 10 days. That translates to over 1,000 eggs for a single female bug in one year under optimal conditions.
Egg hatching
The eggs are typically laid individually in different parts of a room or groups. When the conditions are optimal, bedbug eggs have low mortality. Over 97% of the eggs can survive when the conditions are favorable. Bedbug eggs can remain dormant for one month when temperatures are low.
It's hard to detect bedbug eggs or see them. The light coloration of the eggs is even harder to detect, especially if the background is light-colored as well. This makes handling a bedbug issue challenging for an inexperienced person.
Since the females produce eggs in large numbers, under the right conditions and food availability, bed bug populations double within 16 days. After hatching, the nymphs (baby bedbugs) become adults in five to six weeks and begin reproducing.
Optimal conditions for bedbug egg hatching
Exterminators use their bedbug knowledge during treatment. Knowing these patterns makes it easier to arrange treatments to eliminate a bedbug issue. Here are some optimal conditions that experienced exterminators combat:
Temperature
The optimal hatching temperature is below 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Sixty percent of the bedbug eggs hatch at this temperature after six days. By the nine-day mark, 90% of the eggs will have hatched. Temperatures lower than 50 degrees Fahrenheit can increase the hatch time by a few more days, extending it to two weeks or longer.
Food availability
Food is critical to the survival of the hatched bugs. Newly hatched nymphs are vulnerable and incapable of traveling long distances looking for a host. If an egg hatches with no host available, the nymph dies of dehydration.
Get professional help
Getting a professional exterminator is the best option to clear a bedbug problem. Infestations require the right techniques and treatments to control them fully. The best exterminators diagnose the issue and decide on the best action plan depending on the severity of the situation.
One of the hardest parts of an infestation is handling the eggs. If not removed or destroyed, they hatch eventually, and the same issue recurs. Experienced exterminators are thorough and use methods that eliminate the eggs as well.
Bed Bugs Arizona offers a free, in-home bed bug inspection and a one-year warranty on all bed bug services. No obligation. We specialize in apartment communities. Our fast, certified technicians provide the Pro-Treat Plus method of bed bug removal to Phoenix and surrounding cities in a 100-mile plus radius including Flagstaff, Globe, and Casa Grande. Veteran and senior discounts. Call now at (602) 962-8806.
