Bed Bug Life Cycle Pictures

Bed bugs are nocturnal, blood-feeding insects that can locate their host by heat and respiration. This plague has been growing a lot in recent years around the world. Today we want to share some of the best bed bug life cycle pictures, so you can see what these insects look like in their different stages of development.

Life Cycle of Bed Bugs in Photos

The biological cycle of bed bugs includes egg, 5 nymphal stages (which are the immature stages before reaching adults) and adults. When emerging from the egg, the nymphs must feed quickly on blood, otherwise they die in a few days, so they must find a food source to stay alive. The eggs are translucent white in color and they are the size of the head of a pin.

The first image clearly shows how the bed bug cycle is, which we will explain below.

During its lifespan, a bed bug will go through the following phases:

Eggs (1 mm).

1st stage nymph (1.5 mm).

2nd stage nymph (2 mm).

3 rd nymph stage (2.5 mm).

4th stage nymph (3 mm).

5th stage nymph (4.5 mm).

Non-fed adult female.

Non-fed adult male.

The life of these insects begins with mating. Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) mate by a system known as traumatic insemination. This process consists of the perforation of the female’s abdominal cavity by the male.

The next image shows the size of the bedbugs in each of their phases. In addition, it is mentioned that adult bed bugs can last a long time without feeding, while nymphs must be fed every week.

Once the sperm is deposited, it goes to the circulatory fluid, the hemolymph, from where it travels to the ovaries. Females can lay up to 250 eggs in their lifetime.

Bed Bug Life Cycle Images

Young bedbugs (also called nymphs) are generally smaller, translucent, or whitish-yellow in color. Older and adult nymphs are reddish-brown. Nymphs go through five molts before reaching maturity. If they have not been recently fed, they can be almost invisible to the naked eye due to coloration and size. Although they are similar to adults, they are smaller and not yet sexually mature.

The following image is made with real photos of bedbugs. The sizes and colors in the different phases are clearly detailed.

The lifespan of a bedbug generally ranges from four to six months. To complete a molting stage, each nymph needs to feed. On the other hand, you can also determine their presence by smell, since they have a particular odor, and their droppings look like black drops due to digested blood.

These insects have an active and a passive way of dispersal. Regarding the active one, bed bugs walk for short distances in order to reach their host. It can be from room to room, or even through ventilation ducts.

On the other hand, passive dispersion is what humans do on clothing, luggage, furniture, etc. Therefore, the current movements in human populations could be contributing to its dispersion worldwide. Other theories about the resurgence of this problem focus on the sale and purchase of second-hand furnitures.

The following image shows a detailed drawing with all the stages. The abdomen of the adult bed bug females is round, while that of the males is elongated.

Life Cycle Of Bed Bugs In Photos

However, there are other factors that may be influencing the spread of these insects. One of the main factors is that bed bugs have become resistant to some pesticides. This may be related to changes in pesticide application techniques in urban areas.

Another influencing factor is that bed bugs can live without feeding for even a year. They are also difficult to detect. Usually, when they are detected, there is already a certain degree of bed bug infestation.

The next image contains a drawing with the different stages of these insects.

Controlling this pest is not an easy task, since it requires putting into practice different measures. The inspection to identify the shelters is of the utmost importance: the seams of the mattresses, the joints in the bases of the beds, the curtains, carpets, rugs, furniture, behind pictures and even the floor should be checked.

If you detect bed bugs in your home you should take action immediately. You must clean and order everything inside the room. Wash clothes and sheets in hot water. You should vacuum all furniture and surfaces.

The most used treatment to eliminate bed bugs is “dry steam” at 50°C for one minute. This treatment turns out to be effective against all stages (eggs, nymphs and adults).

However, no measure is effective by itself, the combination and integration of treatments are essential to obtain optimal results.

If you have been dealing with bedbugs for some time without being able to eliminate them completely, the best thing to do is hire a pest control service.

We hope this information with the best bed bug life cycle pictures is of value to you. See you soon.