Reproduction Habits
Compared to other insects, bed bugs produce rather slowly. Adult females generally lay only one-to-seven egg per day, which is far less than the 500 or so a fly will lay in the course of three-to-four days. Bed bug eggs gestate for about 10 days before they hatch. They become adults in about six weeks. Female bed bugs can become injured if they mate too frequently. But, if they can find someplace with a food source where they can be alone, they can produce more eggs. If a single female bed bug is careful about where she goes, she can cause an infestation of 5,000 bed bugs within six months.
How do Bed Bugs Move?
Although many people assume that bed bugs either fly or jump from place to place, they do not do either. So, if you see insects flying or jumping around your bedroom or other areas of your house, you can rest assured that they are not bed bugs. Bed bugs crawl, just like most insects do. You will often not see bed bugs move, as they tend to be more active at night because the CO2 levels you emit are higher when you are asleep.
Hitching a Ride
Bed bugs crawl slowly on their own. But, they can move from place to place quickly by attaching themselves to clothing, suitcases or just about anything else that moves. So, truly, bed bugs can move as fast as whatever they attach to. Unfortunately, this situation makes it easy for bed bug infestations to grow rapidly. All it takes is for one bed bug to attach itself to you in a hotel room, airplane seat or even a shared-ride vehicle to create an infestation in your house.
Despite their comparatively slow mating process and natural speed, bed bugs can still quickly and easily cause an infestation in anyone’s home. If you suspect you have a bed bug problem, contact Harbor Pest Control today. We are the best exterminators in the San Diego area. Call us today to see how we can help you.
