Unlike humans, who show signs of pregnancy by stomach protrusion, pregnant bed bugs are less likely to show these signs, so it is somewhat impossible to differentiate a pregnant female bed bug from a normal bed bug.
What do bed bugs when pregnant look like? How many eggs can a pregnant bed bug lay? These and more are the questions that we will be answering in this thrilling article.
If, after reading this article, you have questions that relate to the subject matter, do let us know via the comments section.
What Does a Pregnant Bed Bug Look Like?
Read also: Best Bed Bug Spray For Clothes: How To Use
What is a Pregnant Bed Bug Reproduction Cycle?
An egg is the first stage of a bed bug’s reproductive cycle, just like many other insects. Under normal and favorable conditions, bed bug eggs will take about 6 to 16 days to hatch.
When the bed bug eggs hatch, they are called nymphs, and these nymphs are unable to mate or procreate till they have become adults.
In one of our previous articles, we mentioned that bed bugs will grow at different speeds or rates depending on the conditions of that place. These conditions include:
- Temperature:
Temperature is a huge factor that will contribute to the development of nymphs into adults. Nymphs in cooler temperatures will take about 3 months to develop into adults, while nymphs in warmer temperatures will mature into adults in just 3 weeks.
- Availability of host:
The availability of hosts for these nymphs to feed on is also a great determinant of their growth. If the house (or structure) they reside in lacks a constant host for these bugs to feed on, their growth rate tends to be slower.
Constant availability of a good host means constant availability of food sources and rapid growth.
- Their safety:
This one should be self-explanatory. Imagine a community that is unsafe to dwell in due to constant attacks by bandits or terrorists. There is a very high chance of a decrease in population due to the following factors:
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- There is a war, who would be thinking of procreation?
- There are terrorists everywhere, so we lack access to adequate food sources as we cannot cultivate or grow food crops, hence leading to malnutrition.
I’ll stop there for now, but certainly, you get the picture. Now, when you relate this to bed bugs, you will get the ideology.
If nymphs are growing in a household (or structure) that is weary of their presence and will do anything to get rid of them at any slight sighting, they certainly won’t grow fast. I mean, how will they even go out to feed?
Funny enough, when the nymphs finally mature into adults, they can mate with the same female that birthed them. Yes, in the animal kingdom, certain human laws (or principles) do not apply.
Read also: I Found One Bed Bug But No Others: What To Do
How Do Bed Bug Reproduce?
Now, how do bed bugs reproduce? The availability of food sources is also one of the few factors that will determine how these bugs reproduce.
Under normal circumstances or conditions, bed bugs will produce about 1 to 6 eggs a day after feeding on human blood.
When we say under normal circumstances, it means that certain conditions may affect the way the pregnant bed bug reproduces. Below are the factors:
- Availability of Food Source:
Once a food source is readily available for the pregnant female bed bug, reproduction becomes less of a burden for her.
- Frequent Mating:
Readers may think that the more the female bed bug mates, the more she will lay eggs, but that is not the case in this scenario. The truth is that constant mating may result in injury to the pregnant bed bug, and this will definitely affect her reproduction rate.
For the pregnant female bed bug to reproduce efficiently and lay a vast number of eggs, she has to go to a quiet place where there are few/no male bed bugs and there is a nearby food source.
How Many Eggs Can a Pregnant Female Bed Bug Reproduce?
As we mentioned previously, a pregnant bed bug can reproduce about 1 to 6 eggs per day, which is, of course, after each blood feed from a host.
Pregnant female bed bugs will lay close to 250 to 300 eggs if exposed to favorable conditions, that is, fewer males and the availability of food sources.
Constant mating by these males will cause the female bed bug to bruise, and if she is not given enough time to heal before the next mating, she is likely to produce fewer eggs.
Hence, female bed bugs tend to flee to areas with fewer males and nearby food sources so that they can lay a vast number of eggs. Sadly, this place of comfort may be your home.
Read also: Bed Bug Cast Skin: How Does It Benefit Humans?
Conclusion
Pregnant female bed bugs are able to produce a wide range of egg populations that will grow and mature to cause havoc in your homes. Yes, just one female bed bug is capable of creating over 5,000 bed bugs in your structure.
It is advisable that a single sighting of these bugs trigger you to carry out an all-around thorough inspection and contact a pest control expert if necessary.
Ever seen a pregnant female bed bug in your home before? Let us know your experience in the comments section below.
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