Bed bugs are one of the most invasive pests, and they are also some of the most difficult to terminate. In fact, bed bugs are such a problem throughout areas of Canada, such as Ontario, that some exterminators have urged businesses and homeowners to throw away their items and start over even if there is early bed bug signs in a home.
Stages
Bed bugs go through multiple stages between birth and death. First, an adult bed bug lays eggs, usually in a crack or crevice to keep them well hidden. Each egg is very small at just 1mm in length, which is nearly the same as two grains of salt placed together.
The eggs hatch after just two weeks and the baby bed bugs are immediately ready to eat. Baby bed bugs are also known as nymphs, go through various stages of molting before they reach adulthood. The stages of a bed bug include:
- Egg
- 1st Instar Nymph
- 2nd Instar Nymph
- 3rd Instar Nymph
- 4th Instar Nymph
- Adult
Nymphs do not develop into their next stage until they feed. If the nymph goes without a blood meal, it does not grow, but that does not mean you can starve it. A nymph can survive months without eating, and adults can go a year without a meal. Understanding the life cycle of bed bugs and how long they live may help you determine how best to treat an invasion or call a bed bug control Toronto company.
Longevity
Thankfully, most bed bugs do not live a year unless they live in a cool environment with no food source. Otherwise, the lifespan of a bed bug ranges from 4 to 10 months. It is not common for bed bugs to survive past 10 months. It takes bed bugs 37 days to go from an egg to an adult, so the fast development might explain why they do not have a long lifespan.
Just because their lives are short-lived does not mean they will die off quick enough to prevent an infestation. Bed bugs can lay as much as 500 eggs before they die, meaning you can end up with a massive infestation before you know what to do.
Extermination
If you notice bed bugs in your home, make sure you contact a professional right away. Considering how rapidly bed bugs develop, mate, and lay eggs, you will want to get ahead of the problem as quickly as possible. If you delay calling an exterminator, you could end up with a full-fledged invasion in as little as a couple of months.
Although bed bugs do not pose any specific risks to human health, they can cause discomfort. They feed on your blood while you sleep, which leaves itchy bites on your body. A disruption of sleep is enough to drive anyone near insane. Fortunately, professionals have the know how to help you destroy an infestation, stopping bed bugs in their tracks. Call the The Exterminators – Pest Control Toronto: 647-496-2211 to solve your bed bug problem. Not only can we remove the adult bed bugs, but we can also eliminate their eggs, thus completely eliminating the infestation, we also offer bed bug control products.
