Bed Bug Molting

Bed Bug Molting

Bed bugs must molt five times before they become adults. This is even a bigger problem when you consider that the eggs of bed bugs are transparent, which makes them difficult to find. Each time that a bed bug molts its skin, it will need a meal of blood, and this occurs five times in their lifetime. Bed bug nymphs resemble the adults but are smaller and have a pale yellow coloration after molting. The nymphs undergo five molts, becoming successively larger after each molt. Since some Bed bug nymphs may feed more successfully than others, development time may vary greatly even among nymphs from the same generation. For this reason, both adults and nymphs will usually be present throughout the year.

Newly-hatched nymphs will feed as soon as possible, then usually feed once between each molt. If left undisturbed, a Bed bug can obtain a full blood meal in 3 to 5 minutes. Bed bugs can live for 4 to 12 months without feeding. The bugs will survive longer without a meal at lower temperatures than at higher temperatures.You won't usually see bed bug activity during daylight hours, but you may see other signs of bed bugs. As nymphs molt, they leave behind their shedded skins, which accumulate as the population rises.

Bed bug excrement appears as dark spots, and crushed bed bugs will leave bloody marks on bed linens. Closely inspect your bed, mattress, box spring and head board for black or blood spotting or signs of bed bug molting or the bed bugs themselves. The best color for these items is white, white color items makes it the hardest for bed bugs to hide. Mattresses and box springs come in all colors sizes and shapes, choose white color for best ability to monitor bed bugs.

closely inspect your bed, mattress, box spring and head board for black or blood spotting or signs of bed bug molting or the bed bugs themselves. The best color for these items is white, white color items makes it the hardest for bed bugs to hide. Mattresses and box springs come in all colors sizes and shapes, choose white color for best ability to monitor bed bugs.

Bed bugs are active at night and hide during the day. After mating, females lay white, oval eggs (1/16-inch long) into cracks and crevices. An individual bed bug can lay 200-250 eggs in her lifetime. The eggs hatch in about 6-10 days and the newly emerged bed bug nymphs seek a blood meal. Immature nymphs molt five times (i.e., they shed their outer exoskeleton in order to grow) before reaching adulthood. They need to feed at least once before each molt, although they could feed as often as once a day. There may be three or more generations per year. All ages are found in a reproducing population. Immature bed bugs may live for several months without feeding while adults may survive as long as one year without a meal. Under normal circumstances, adult bed bugs will live for about ten to eleven months.