Bed bugs are small, reddish-brown insects that are a common nuisance in human dwellings. Many individuals mistakenly believe that simply leaving a house vacant will eliminate these resilient pests. However, bed bugs possess remarkable survival capabilities that allow them to endure long periods without a host.
Understanding Bed Bug Life and Habits
Bed bugs are nocturnal insects that feed on blood. They typically emerge at night when their hosts are asleep, drawn by body heat and carbon dioxide. These flat-bodied insects are adept at hiding in narrow spaces, such as mattress seams, bed frames, cracks, and crevices in furniture or walls, remaining out of sight during the day.
Their life cycle includes three main stages: egg, nymph, and adult. Female bed bugs lay tiny, pearl-white eggs in secluded spots, which hatch into nymphs within about six to ten days. To grow and progress through five nymphal stages to adulthood, each nymph must take a blood meal and molt. Adult bed bugs are about the size of an apple seed, and while they prefer to feed every few days, their ability to survive extended periods without food is significant.
Their Ability to Survive Without Feeding
Bed bugs possess a remarkable capacity to survive for extended durations without a blood meal. The exact period can vary significantly, ranging from approximately 20 days to over a year, depending on factors like life stage and environmental conditions. Younger nymphs are generally more vulnerable and cannot survive as long as adult bed bugs without feeding.
Adult bed bugs can survive without feeding for several months, typically between four and five months in room temperature conditions. Under cooler temperatures, their survival period can extend, potentially exceeding a year. This prolonged survival is possible because bed bugs can enter a state of reduced activity, or dormancy, which slows their metabolism and conserves energy when food is scarce.
Environmental Influences on Survival
Temperature and humidity play a significant role in determining how long bed bugs can survive without food. Bed bugs thrive in temperatures between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, where their metabolic rate is optimal. In cooler environments, their metabolism slows down, allowing them to conserve energy and extend their survival time without a host. Temperatures below 60 degrees Fahrenheit can inhibit their activity, making them less likely to feed and reproduce.
Conversely, extreme temperatures can be lethal. While bed bugs can adapt to a range of conditions, temperatures consistently above 113 degrees Fahrenheit can kill them within minutes to hours, depending on the exact temperature and exposure time. Similarly, sustained freezing temperatures below 0 degrees Fahrenheit for several days can also eliminate them. Humidity also influences their longevity; bed bugs prefer moderate to high humidity levels, typically around 70-80%, which helps them retain moisture and survive longer, whereas very dry conditions can hasten their demise.
Implications for Empty Properties
Simply vacating an infested property will not effectively eliminate a bed bug infestation. The insects will not starve to death quickly, especially if the environmental conditions are favorable for their survival. Instead, they will enter a state of dormancy, conserving their energy reserves while waiting for a new host to become available.
Once residents return to the property, or new occupants move in, the bed bugs will reactivate and resume their feeding activities. This resilience means that an empty house can still harbor a hidden bed bug population for many months, sometimes even over a year, posing a risk to anyone who subsequently occupies the space. In multi-unit dwellings, bed bugs can also spread to adjacent apartments or units if their primary host is absent for an extended period, seeking new food sources.