What do bed bug larvae look like? What bed bug larvae look like and how to get rid of them Get rid of bed bugs and their larvae

Today we will find out how quickly bedbugs reproduce, what bedbugs eggs look like, photos are attached, where do they lay them and how long does it take to hatch? Stages and type of development, as well as incubation period.

How do bedbugs reproduce in an apartment?

The reproduction process of bedbugs is filled with unique details that are absent in other insects. Because of this, this action is of great interest to scientists.

A distinctive feature of the reproduction process in house bugs is traumatic insemination. During it, the male inseminates the female not with the latter’s consent, but by force. At the same time, he pierces the female’s abdomen with his own genital organ and pours seminal fluid into it.

This method was developed by domestic bugs in the process of long evolution. Continuous egg production guarantees that, even in the event of a hungry period, the female will be able to use them as a source of food and thereby survive.

IMPORTANT! Mating occurs only once during the female's existence.

The seminal fluid obtained from the male is placed in a special tank, from where it is used throughout the entire period.

Thereby an adult female does not need a male in order to create a population in a new place.

Male bedbugs behave very aggressively in their desire to reproduce. They do not spend much time choosing a partner, so there are cases when males attacked other males, larvae in the nymphal stage, and sometimes even. The analysis carried out by scientists showed that almost all members of the nest, regardless of their gender or age, have characteristic damage to their abdomen.

Bed bug eggs. After fertilization, the female will lay up to 10 eggs per day. Until this moment, they mature in her body for about 4-5 days. Eggs are long no more than 1 mm, they are white and elongated, resembling the shape of grains of rice.

Placed in, which is usually located in the folds of the mattress and under it, in a bed frame, under a rug or a picture. It must be located as close as possible to the place where the person sleeps in order to reduce the time of movement to the feeding place to a minimum.

Eggs are usually located in large groups, which include dozens and sometimes hundreds of pieces. At the same time, its shell is quite strong and can withstand external influences.

For example, some cannot penetrate through it to the embryo. Because of this, if the treatment is poor, insects may appear again after 1-1.5 months.

In order to lay eggs regularly, the female requires constant and high-quality. One meal is enough for about 20 eggs. And in total, over the entire period of her life, the female manages to produce from 300 to 500 pieces.

ATTENTION! Best conditions for constant reproduction they are located in residential apartments - a large number of places for shelter, protection from and constant presence near food.

Below is a photo of bed bug eggs. You can see what they look like:

Bed bug larvae. After 3-4 days after the egg appears, from it a larva or nymph appears. It looks like a smaller, full-fledged bug, but is completely incapable of reproducing.

During development, the larva constantly increases in size, and because of this it has to molt regularly, because its own shell cannot stretch. In total, during the period of development to a full-fledged adult state, nymph molts 5 times.

In order for the process to go smoothly, she needs to drink blood for the entire volume of her stomach at least once.

IN favorable conditions, molting occurs every 6-7 days, so after 1.5 months the larva already turns into a full-fledged insect.

However, if the temperature in the place where bedbugs live begins to drop, the development process slows down. At room temperature+15-20 degrees, the full cycle will take 3 months. When it drops below +15 degrees, the larva will fall into a suspended state and wait for conditions to improve.

During meals the larva consumes less blood than an adult bug. But due to their huge number in the nest, it is the nymphs that cause the most trouble to humans. In addition, unlike adults, they cannot inject painkillers into the wound, so the bite sites begin to itch almost immediately.

What do bedbug larvae look like? Photo below:

Bed bugs: photos of larvae

Watch a video of how the larva emerges from the egg:

Development and life cycle

are insects with complete metamorphosis. Their life cycle consists of three stages- eggs, larvae and adult. The latter lay eggs, after which the cycle begins a new round.

REFERENCE! Fluctuations in temperature affect not only adults, but also the rate of larval development and egg laying of females.

The occupation of bedbugs depends on their gender and age:

  • Males in the process of life constantly try to fertilize some female;
  • The queen is busy laying new eggs;
  • The larvae feed almost continuously to ensure growth.

If a constant source of food disappears, bedbugs either change their habitat or go into state of suspended animation. During the latter, all processes in the insect’s body slow down, and it is in deep sleep, which can last up to 1 year.

During this period, you might think that the insect is dead, but upon contact with a person, it is able to almost instantly come to its senses and begin drinking blood.

Bedbugs are insects with a complete metamorphosis cycle. Males forcefully inseminate females, who then begin to lay eggs throughout their lives (300-500 eggs over the entire period). The eggs hatch into larvae (babies), which molt every 6-7 days and spend almost all of their time feeding.

They grow into adults ready to mate, which optimal conditions live up to 1 year. Due to the short development time, a bedbug colony can very quickly increase its number.

Video about the life, mating and reproduction of bedbugs from egg to mature insect.

If you find an error, please highlight a piece of text and click Ctrl+Enter.

In some insects, the larvae differ significantly from the adults. Representatives of this type are. The larvae are white worms. What about bed bugs? For people who have never encountered them before, the name alone is terrifying. What do bedbug larvae look like, where to look for them, do they bite humans?

During its development, the larva goes through 5 stages. Each time it sheds, it increases in size. She needs food not only to replenish energy reserves, but also for transformation.

A variety of domestic bedbug larvae

Initially, a small bug is visually almost invisible. Its body length is only about 1.5 ml. For a week should pass before the transition to the next stage of development. The larva is growing. The shell becomes too small. She throws it off. Becoming again light color, and after a few minutes it is already 2.5 ml long and dark in color. You can already see such a bug. It has 3 pairs of legs, a flat body, and long antennae on its head. The color also changes depending on food. Since the blood has a rich scarlet color, and the insect’s cover is translucent, after a meal the larva becomes almost red. After a while, the blood coagulates, and by the end of the week the bug is gray-brown in color. The shedding process is not as simple as it seems. Many larvae fail to cope with this task and die without ever getting out. Those who are lucky are looking for a power source again.

After each molt, the larva increases by 1-2 ml. At the end of its development, the body reaches a length of 6 ml. Moreover, the female is always larger than the male. The entire process of larval development from the moment of birth takes about a month. It develops in the egg for a week. The development of an insect is influenced by food and temperature conditions. At low temperatures, development slows down. The larva does not move on to the next stage of its development; the adult bug appears much later - 2-6 months.

  • from the back of the furniture;
  • in canteens, shelves;
  • books;
  • toys;
  • paintings;
  • decorative items;
  • carpets;
  • photographs;
  • hours;
  • household appliances;
  • lamps;
  • in sockets;
  • under the wallpaper;
  • laminate;
  • in flower pots.

To find the nest, you will have to work hard and turn the entire apartment upside down.

First you should check your sleeping area. If it's a bed, remove the bedding
accessories, raise the mattress. Usually the picture is terrible. There are larvae in one place different ages, adults, eggs, skins after molting, excrement. All this is teeming, crawling, and smells bad. If nothing like this is found under the mattress, you should look at the bed frame and legs.

If you have no luck with your search there, then you will have to arm yourself with patience and carry out a real operation. Inspect every corner of the bedroom. Flip through the books. Especially those that stand for a long time for beauty. Check the clocks, lamps, shelves in bedside tables, in the closet. If there is peeling wallpaper, you will have to peel it off further. Insects like to hide in such places. In most cases, it is possible to detect bedbugs after a thorough inspection of the premises. But you can’t be sure of finding all the nests.

How long do bed bug larvae live?

The life cycle of the larva under favorable conditions of existence is 1 month. Affect the process external factors. The person left for a long time, the room became cool or the temperature rose greatly. Comfortable temperature conditions for bedbug larvae are considered to be from +18 to +38 degrees Celsius. In the absence of food, the larva cannot move to the next stage of development. It can remain this way for up to 6 months. For example, an adult bedbug exists for almost 2 years without food. After a new portion of blood arrives, the insect continues to develop as if nothing had happened. The likelihood that the larva will die from starvation is actually low. Only individuals of the first 2 stages find themselves in a dangerous position.

Lowering the temperature works the same way. Moreover, minus indicators are already killing the insect. Thus, the development of larvae is extended over time. The conditions in the room must be taken into account.

Do bedbug larvae bite humans?

And how! Under normal living conditions, they need food every 5 days. While, how adult bedbugs survive without food for up to 10 days. In addition, the larvae bite is quite painful. There is still no substance in their body that can numb the affected area. A sensitive person immediately feels uncomfortable.

The number of bites is also large. Firstly, larvae from each female appear at a time from 5 pieces. They all need to feed on the blood of one person. Secondly, it is difficult to hit the right artery the first time. You have to bite through the skin several times. As a result, numerous bites and large red heels with severe itching appear on the body.

How to get rid of larvae

The fight against larvae is no different from the destruction of adults. They are located in one place, feeding on the blood of one person. It is necessary to decide on methods of struggle and means. It is advisable to start immediately with effective ones, since bedbugs have the ability to adapt to poisons. Weak insecticides act on them like a vaccine.

A small number of insects are removed with aerosols. The drugs are sold everywhere and are relatively inexpensive. You should pay attention to the composition. Availability of several active ingredients increases your chances of winning. If insects develop resistance to one of the insecticides, the second one will work. You will have to carry out at least 2 treatments. Since aerosols do not affect the larvae that are in the egg. The durable shell cannot be penetrated by any chemical agent. The deficiency can be eliminated using the traditional method using steam. Steam is directed onto the nest for 3 minutes, and the soft surface of the sofa or mattress is ironed.

The method using concentrated emulsions is considered the most effective. With strong If a room is infected, it is generally not advisable to use other drugs. Remains on the surface protective film. The bedbugs will gradually become poisoned. Mass infection occurs during disinsection and the first 2 hours after it. Death is observed within a week. After approximately 14 days, a new generation of larvae appears. It is recommended to re-process. But when using new generation microencapsulated products, this may not be necessary. Prolonged action lasts from 1 to 6 months.

Example effective drugs The aerosol category includes:

  • Raptor;
  • Raid;
  • Ready house;
  • Dichlorvos;
  • Combat;
  • Carbosol.

Concentrated emulsions:

  • Tetrix;
  • Executioner;
  • Xulat;
  • Forsyth;

You can reduce the number of insects using folk method– freezing, warming. Open windows and doors when it is below 10 degrees Celsius outside and leave them for 2 hours. Take care of in advance indoor plants, heating system, household appliances. Or they heat the room temperature above 45 degrees Celsius. The effect also lasts for 2 hours. The boiler is most often used for these purposes. individual heating. Pillows, a mattress, toys, a sofa are taken out into the cold, under the rays of the bright scorching sun.

In order to get rid of bed bug larvae, you need to know the location of the nests. And since bedbugs are carriers of dangerous viral diseases, you need to get rid of it the sooner the better.

Bedbugs - dangerous insects, their larvae must be destroyed

Destruction of house bug larvae in effective ways. Where do bedbugs lay eggs and how to find them

Despite the fact that bedbugs are small insects, they can cause many problems to humans. They reproduce so quickly that detecting small populations can be very difficult. Detection is complicated by the fact that female bedbugs hide their eggs in places that are difficult for humans to reach. For the same reason, the destruction process is also complicated. The breeding process of bedbugs is aimed at rapidly increasing the population. A female can lay up to 12 eggs per day, from which fully viable individuals can hatch. The fertility of these insects is influenced by several conditions:

  • Availability of temperatures suitable for bedbugs. Insects cannot tolerate low or high temperatures, so moderate temperatures are a favorable environment.
  • The rate of increase in reproduction increases at temperatures from 20 to 30 degrees, and slows down at lower temperatures.
  • The larvae hatch very quickly, already on the 10th day. And growth into an adult is achieved within a month.

In order to effectively select a remedy and get rid of bedbugs, you need to know what they look like and locate the locations of the nests.


A female bedbug lays up to 12 eggs a day

What do larvae look like?

If you find bites on your body that are characteristic of bedbugs, then you will soon be able to detect egg laying. Until the bedbug population reaches a large volume, it is necessary to start searching for nests and choose a method to destroy them. Since bloodsucking insects are very small, you will need to examine the furniture with a magnifying glass.

Characteristic feature for bedbug eggs is similar to ordinary rice. The eggs look like white or yellowish grains of rice covered with an adhesive composition. Inexperienced people may confuse insect larvae with bloodsucking droppings. The waste products of these insects look like black grains.

How many larvae will there be in one clutch? Typically, the female lays from 5 to 12 eggs, so you can easily distinguish them from isolated accumulations of waste products of bloodsuckers. Look at all the places adjacent to the clutch, because females lay several clutches at once and hide them in different places. How many clutches you find determines how quickly you can get rid of the population.


Bedbug eggs look like translucent rice

Where do bed bugs prefer to lay their larvae?

And if we take into account the fact that bed bug larvae do not develop well in low temperatures, then most often they can be found near warm places.

If in the morning a trail of bedbug bites is found on the body, then the search for larvae should begin from the bed. Carefully inspect the bed linen, mattress seams, crevices in the bed, and bedside tables.

Carefully examine all bedding using a magnifying glass, because the larvae and the insects themselves are very small. If you find a large number of beetles, then next to them there will be bedbug larvae. In this case, you should immediately begin to destroy them. If insects have managed to breed in large numbers, then their range increases several times and it is necessary to take measures for global disinfestation. Getting rid of insects forever will be difficult, but possible.


Bedbug nests are usually located in beds

Extermination methods

To define a method effective destruction bedbug larvae, it is necessary to determine the nesting sites and find out how many there are. It is necessary to carry out a visual inspection of your home, paying special attention to bedding, upholstered furniture, window sills, baseboards.

If the inspection does not reveal egg laying, then simply boil your bedding. Treat all kinds of mattresses and upholstered furniture using hot steam. Use a solution of boiling water and kerosene, turpentine to treat baseboards and wallpaper. Since bloodsuckers are afraid of low temperatures, take all possible objects in which they can live and lay eggs to the cold for a day.

If folk remedies If they didn’t help you, then use chemicals to eliminate bedbugs. No matter how many bedbugs there are in your home, when working with pesticides, pay special attention to the means personal protection.

If these measures do not help you and you cannot get rid of the pest infestation on your own, then use a professional disinfection service. This service guarantees complete destruction of bedbugs with prolonged action. This will eliminate the possibility of re-infestation of the apartment with insects if they run to you from your neighbors.

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Bedbug larvae

  • House bugs
  • Eggs and larvae

House bugs

Each egg resembles a grain of rice in shape and color. It is white, oblong, translucent, about 1 mm long. At the upper end of the egg there is a cap through which the insect will come out. Interestingly, the substance that makes up the larval shell is very durable. It is impervious to liquids, is not susceptible to chemicals and is not subject to mechanical damage. The sticky substance covering the egg provides it with reliable fastening to any surface.

Depending on the temperature in the room, the larva emerges from the egg within 30 days. At higher temperatures the process can speed up to 1 week. Biologists call bedbugs that have just hatched from eggs nymphs of bedbugs.

  • the larva is smaller in size and light in color;
  • she is less mobile;
  • more susceptible to temperature influences and diet;
  • not capable of reproduction.

When hatching, the nymphs have an oblong body, slightly flattened, almost transparent, and light brown in color. As it develops, it acquires a dark brown color characteristic of adult insects.

It has been noted that the bite of the larvae is very painful for humans. This is explained by the absence in her body of an anesthetic anticoagulant, which is found in adult insects.

Not receiving the proper amount of blood, the larva does not die, but falls into suspended animation, in which it can endure prolonged starvation. This must be taken into account when searching for and exterminating bed bugs.

The time it takes for a nymph to transform into an adult is 4-6 weeks. Insect larvae are subject to molting: during the period of growing up, they shed their shell several times, at the same time changing color towards darkening.

How to detect and destroy bedbugs

Most often, bed bugs are discovered after characteristic bite marks appear on the body, accompanied by severe itching and pain.

Therefore, as soon as it is discovered that there are bedbugs in the apartment, you should immediately begin to destroy them. It is important to know the basic rule: when disinsection, you need to destroy all adult insects, larvae and egg laying. Even if there are only a few individuals left, they can again create a powerful population in the apartment.

As a rule, the fight against bedbugs is not limited to one procedure. At self-processing need to use chemicals, which can be bought in the store (dichlorvos, karbofos and pyrethroids). However, it is worth remembering that insect eggs are very resistant to chemical influences. Toxic substances may not help.

The solution may be to completely freeze the room in winter period(at least 24 hours), if possible. After this, you need to rinse everything with a solution hot water with soda or hydrogen peroxide, and then ventilate and dry thoroughly.

The masonry can be treated with boiling water, hot steam, or ironed. The laundry must be boiled for at least 20 minutes.

If the fight against bedbugs becomes overwhelming, then you need to contact the sanitary and epidemiological authorities. Specialists will carry out effective disinfection of premises, according to sanitary rules.

An important fact is that when fighting bedbugs, you must team up with your neighbors, because insect populations can migrate from apartment to apartment through ventilation systems, balcony doors, communication. This is especially true for houses built in the last century. And don’t despair: bed bugs are, of course, difficult to get rid of, but it’s quite possible to do.

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Bedbug larvae: what they look like, how to get rid of them and types

Features of appearance and physiology

Externally, nymphs are very similar to adult insects. They can only be distinguished by their lighter color and small size. Nymphs have an elongated and slightly flattened body. Usually their sizes do not exceed four and a half millimeters.

But physiologically, bedbugs and their larvae differ greatly from each other. The latter cannot reproduce, need frequent meals, are highly dependent on the ambient temperature, and move slowly and little.

How does a bedbug larva differ from other insects?

Unlike ant larvae, the bug nymph does not have a well-defined narrowing separating the abdomen from the cephalothorax. They can be confused with fleas only in the very early stages of development.

Appearance of nymphs

The size of the masonry depends on the time of year, temperature and weather conditions. Under favorable conditions, one individual is capable of laying up to twelve eggs. Moreover, their number is influenced by the age, body weight and degree of satiety of the female. Five days later, bedbug larvae are born. They look like plastic containers. The newly hatched young are immediately ready to feed on blood.

Stages of development

The grown-up nymph has to say goodbye to her shell, since it is not capable of stretching. This is precisely the main reason for molting. After each change of shell, the insect’s body becomes darker and darker. It is interesting that all transformations occur after the larva is fed with the next portion of blood.

Where do bedbug nymphs hide?

It should be noted that identifying them is quite problematic. This is explained by the fact that they feed in the early morning hours, when people are still sleeping. There is no analgesic secretion in the saliva of bedbug larvae, so its bite is always accompanied by severe itching and pain.

By analogy with adult insects, nymphs settle in various secluded corners of the apartment. They try to choose places with the most favorable temperature conditions. Therefore, they can most often be found in mattresses and sofas.

Features of the larval shell

The invulnerability of bedbug eggs is explained by the fact that they are hidden under strong protection. Their shell is resistant to strong chemicals. Liquid does not leak through its walls.

In addition, the surface of the eggs is impervious to sudden temperature fluctuations and mechanical damage. If you try to break them with something heavy, your attempts will not be successful.

The main difficulties encountered in the process of destroying nymphs

As mentioned above, bedbug larvae resemble slightly curved grains of rice. If you look closely, you can see a small dark spot. It is in this place that the exit for the mature individual is located.

To destroy the larvae, you can use pesticides such as dichlorvos, karbofos and pyrethroids. However, when working with these substances, it is important to follow all rules and ensure the safety of residents.

Also, a good solution could be the use of insecticides that sterilize insects. However, such funds are practically not found on the open market. As a rule, preparations containing such components are available only to professionals.

Powdered products that kill these insects can be scattered near bedbug nests. Then the hatching larvae will immediately end up in deadly “clearings”. However, when choosing such drugs, you should remember that most of them are unsafe for humans and pets.

Experts recommend not to neglect the systematic wet cleaning of your home and checking the condition of beds, sofas and other sleeping places for traces of bedbugs. It is also necessary to wash bedding regularly. Moreover, this should be done exclusively in hot water.

To scare away blood-sucking insects and prevent their migration from neighbors, it is recommended to keep birch brooms and bouquets of dried tansy in the house.

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What do bed bug larvae look like?

Bed bugs are one of the most well-known insects with incomplete metamorphosis. This means that in its development, each individual bug does not undergo such complex transformations as are characteristic of butterflies or beetles. Bedbug larvae appear to be miniature copies of adult insects, although some features of their structure, in addition to body size, still clearly demonstrate their juvenile status.

Appearance of house bug larvae

The larvae of house bugs are similar in appearance to adults and have a body flattened on top. Their body length ranges from 0.5 to 2 millimeters, and the color varies from light yellow, almost white (in the youngest), to the usual brown characteristic of adult insects (in larvae before the last molt).

In entomology, larvae are usually called those age forms of insects that differ significantly from adults. For example, the larvae of butterflies or flies are so-called typical. Such insects belong to the group of insects with complete transformation. In addition to flies, mosquitoes and butterflies, these include beetles, riders, ants and bees and some other orders.

Bed bugs belong to the group of insects with incomplete transformation. Their larva emerging from eggs has a body structure similar to that of an adult insect, differing only in some details and the inability to reproduce. Such a larva is called a nymph.

As it develops, it grows out of its hard shell and is therefore forced to constantly molt. The nymph molts 5 times, after the last molt turning into an adult insect. The development of an insect from emerging from the egg to becoming an adult lasts from 4 to 6 weeks, depending on the temperature in the room. The higher the temperature, the faster the whole cycle occurs.

Bed bug larvae have a more elongated body than that of adult insects. Outwardly, they can easily be confused with a cockroach nymph. Larvae of the first instar are characterized by the absence of dark coloration of the abdomen (the back of the body), while nymphs of later instars have a general light red color of the head, legs and body border, and a dark middle of the abdomen. However, the color saturation of this dark part of their body depends primarily on the time that has passed since the last feeding: in a hungry larva the entire abdomen is light. In the flash photo, the blood-filled stomach and adjacent organs of the bedbug larva are clearly visible.

Differences between bedbug larvae and other arthropods

A person inexperienced in entomology may confuse a bedbug larva with some other unwanted house guests.

But by looking closely, or by comparing the bug larva with photos of other arthropods, you can reliably determine its species based on certain characteristics:

  • Bedbug larvae differ from cockroach nymphs in being lighter in color and less mobile. In addition, the nymphs of the most common red cockroaches in apartments have a well-defined light spot on the cephalothorax. Bedbug larvae do not have such a pattern;
  • Older bug larvae differ from adult cockroaches in their small size (no more than 2 mm, while an adult red cockroach reaches a length of 10-15 mm) and the absence of wings;
  • Bedbug larvae can be easily distinguished from house ants by their body shape: upon careful examination, the absence of a “waist” between the abdomen and cephalothorax and, in general, a wider body immediately become noticeable;
  • The bedbug larva differs from ticks, which are only occasionally brought into the house, by the number of legs: it has six of them, while the tick has eight;
  • Only the smallest larvae of bed bugs can be confused with fleas. But if the flea is difficult to catch because of its jumping ability, then the nymphs of bedbugs are very slow. In addition, fleas are dark brown in color, while bed bug larvae of the appropriate size are almost transparent.
It is also useful to read: Furniture bugs (aka bedbugs)

A universal difference between the larvae of house bugs is their preferred habitats. If cockroaches live mainly near food supplies, ants live behind baseboards and under floor coverings, fleas live on the fur of domestic animals, then bedbug nymphs prefer completely different places. This is also how they differ from lice: the latter stick only to the hairy parts of the body, while bedbugs avoid them.

Food and typical habitats of bedbug larvae

Due to the low speed of movement, bedbug larvae cannot move long distances from their main food sources. Therefore, they are found in the greatest quantities where people rest: under mattresses, inside them, in the folds of beds or furniture upholstery, in close proximity to beds on the floor and under baseboards. The important thing is that in places where adult insects hide, their larvae are found together with them: the adults do not show any hostility towards them.

House bug larvae feed, like adult insects, on human blood. It is believed that small nymphs leave significantly less painful bite marks on the body than adult insects. But they can also ruin your sleep and give you a lot of unpleasant sensations.

Where to look for bedbug larvae and how to deal with them?

Measures to combat bed bug larvae are no different from those for adult bed bugs.

Before you start fighting, you need to find out whether bedbugs are the cause of the bites that appear on the body. let's consider characteristic features bed bug bites:

  • a large number of them after every night. Not only are bedbugs usually present in large numbers indoors, each of them makes several bites in different places during one feeding;
  • clearly visible “routes” of movement of each feeding larva. Typically this movement is like a small line of 4-5 bites;
  • itching in the places of the bites themselves, their redness.

It is difficult to notice the bug nymph immediately at the time of feeding: she feeds at night, usually in the pre-dawn time, coinciding with the phase of the most good sleep person. If at the time of the bite you feel itching and pain, it means that it is the larva that bites: they do not have a sufficient amount of secretion in their saliva to provide pain relief for the bite. After being bitten by an adult bug, itching begins to be felt several hours later.

Bedbug nymphs are even less resistant to extreme temperatures than adults. Freezing an apartment, house or cottage in winter in the northern regions for 2-3 days at a temperature of about -20°C ensures the death of almost all bedbug larvae in the room. Treating a room with dry heat gives results in any room, but some individuals in this case can survive inside mattresses or on clothing.

Very effective means Various chemical insecticides are used to combat bedbugs: dichlorvos, karbofos, various pyrethroids. However, they are toxic not only to insects, but also to people, and when treating a room with them, all precautions must be taken, and if possible, do not stay in the room for several days during which the treatment lasts.

After the use of insecticides and the death of bedbugs in a few days, a new population of larvae may appear in the home, the most young. They hatch from eggs laid even before disinfestation, and fighting them requires repeating the procedure.

The photo below shows bedbug eggs and larvae:

However, after such repeated disinfestation, the likelihood of bedbugs reappearing in the apartment depends only on the infestation of neighbors’ apartments with them. IN apartment buildings It is most useful to carry out coordinated mass disinfestation of several (ideally all) apartments at the same time.

You can keep birch brooms and bouquets of dry tansy in your house, which to a certain extent repel bedbugs and can prevent them from moving from neighbors.

Bedbug larva emerging from egg

How can you reliably get rid of bedbugs, including their larvae and eggs?

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The offspring of bedbugs are similar in structure to the imago. Their body is flattened and consists of a head, chest and abdomen. After birth, nymphs have all the necessary sensory organs. Their antennae are tuned to seek the warmth of the human body. This is the food source that they strive for early age. Sensitive antennas operate better organs vision. Scent glands are located on the underside of the insect's body. In case of danger, they release a liquid with a pungent odor. Unlike adults, the glands in larvae are located on the abdomen.

Nymphs move slowly, they leave the shelter only to get enough blood. After returning, they remain apathetic for several days, then moult.

Features of development

Bedbugs are insects with incomplete metamorphosis. This type of metamorphosis involves 3 stages of development:

  • egg;
  • larva (nymph);
  • imago.

Features of molting

For the offspring of domestic bugs, the molting process is closely related to nutrition. Only after sucking a portion of blood can they make the transition to the next phase. After each molt, 5 mm is added to the body length. An equally important factor is temperature; at 14°C and below, the development of nymphs stops until they return comfortable conditions. An increase in temperature to 30° accelerates their metamorphosis. For comparison:

  • at 28-32° - the nymph reaches sexual maturity in 28-30 days;
  • at 20-23° - the development of the larvae lasts for 42-56 days.

Information. Older nymphs are highly adaptable; they can withstand hunger for up to 18 months. The body of insects thins to the point of transparency, and they become lethargic. But after feeding, all functions are restored.

Stages of nymph development

Having shed the tight cuticle for the last time, the nymph turns into an imago. Half of the individuals are characterized by a smaller size and a sharp tip of the abdomen - these are males. The second part of the insects has a wide rounded abdomen and a size of about 5-5.5 mm - these are females.

Bedbug larva feeding

Harm from nymph bites

Information. Many pathogenic bacteria have been found in the intestines of house bugs and their larvae. They are carriers of typhus, plague, tularemia, hepatitis, and fever. Scientists have not recorded cases of people becoming infected with dangerous viruses, but the threat exists.

To control pests, products designed for adults are used. Popular insecticides in aerosols are “Raptor”, “ Clean house", "Dichlorvos". The use of concentrated emulsions “Executioner” and “Get” is effective. After 2 weeks, re-treatment will be required. By this time, a new generation of larvae will emerge from eggs that do not die from chemicals.

Where to look for larvae

The search for larval habitats is limited to areas closest to the bed. They can hide in the seams of the mattress, behind torn wallpaper, in the cracks of the walls, door jambs, inside upholstered furniture. To get to them, in some cases you will have to tear off the upholstery. To destroy the entire colony of pests, comprehensive measures are used, including treatment high temperature furniture, walls, bedding and clothing. Bedbug larvae do not have mechanisms to protect themselves from chemical and heat treatments.

Bed bugs are the most common insects adjacent to humans. These are insects with an incomplete transformation cycle. That is, during the development process they do not undergo such changes as, for example, butterflies.

While developing, bedbugs go through 3 stages:

  1. Adult

First stage of development

Before looking at what bedbug larvae look like, let’s discuss in more detail what bedbug eggs look like.

Externally, they may look like cockroach and ant eggs. They are light translucent and have an oblong shape, similar to rice grains. The only difference is that bedbug eggs have special caps on one side.

The incubation period under favorable environmental conditions, that is, at a temperature of 35-37 degrees, is 4 - 7 days after the female lays eggs. At low temperatures (10-20 degrees), hatching occurs only after 30 days. At low temperature(below 10 degrees) and elevated (above 45 degrees) nymphs will be able to hatch only after 3 months. In more extreme temperatures, the masonry dies.

Let's talk about where bed bugs lay eggs. They can be found in hard-to-reach places hidden from human eyes. For example:

  • behind the sofa or in its folds
  • in an old bed mattress
  • in old clothes that have been collecting dust in the closet for a long time
  • in the genital crevices


Appearance of larvae

Bedbug larvae look similar to adults. The size of house bug larvae is 0.5-2 millimeters. The main difference is their color. They have a light color, which changes during their development. Once the larva hatches, it has White color. As it grows, it darkens and eventually becomes brown, like an adult.

During the development process, the nymph molts several times, changing the hard chitinous layer that impedes its growth. Five is how many molts one individual can produce. Therefore, in nests you can always find a large number of discarded membranes and excrement. The larvae grow quite quickly and also quickly produce waste residues.

In the photo you can see what a house bug larva looks like.


Nymphs cannot move quickly, so the female must lay eggs in close proximity to a person in the places described earlier.

How do larvae feed?

Larvae, like adults, feed on human blood. Most often they feed when a person is sleeping, that is, at night.

As we know, adult bedbugs produce a special secretion to numb the bite site. After its bite, a person experiences discomfort only after a couple of hours. The larvae do not have one, so during a bite a person can often feel itching and some pain.


How to distinguish a bedbug larva from the larvae of other insects

Viewed from afar, they can be confused with the larvae of cockroaches, ants and other pests. But taking a closer look, you can clearly understand that there are significant differences.

Bedbugs and cockroaches


Nymphs, also known as larvae, of bedbugs are much less mobile than nymphs of cockroaches. They also have a lighter color.

Bugs and ants


Their difference is their body shape. Ants have a clearly defined waist, which is not the case with bedbugs.

Bugs and ticks


Firstly, it is worth saying that the latter appear in the house extremely rarely, only occasionally do people bring them on clothes. Secondly, they have different numbers of legs. Bed bugs have six, ticks have eight.

Bedbugs and fleas


Adult larvae do not resemble fleas, but very young nymphs can be mistaken for them. The color of the flea is darker than that of a young flea nymph. And fleas are more jumping and mobile.

Fighting larvae

Methods for destroying larvae are no different from measures to combat adult bedbugs.

It is very important to accurately identify insects before starting sanitation.

Don’t be under the illusion that you can get rid of insects only with repellents. Bedbugs are insects that unpleasant smell you won't scare me. Yes, folk remedies are effective, but only in combination with insecticides.

The easiest way to kill insects is chemicals. At the moment, there are a huge number of different drugs of varying effectiveness on the market. The most popular are:

  • Dichlorvos
  • Karbofos
  • Pyrethroids


There is a high probability that after the first treatment the insects will not completely disappear. To prevent an increase in the population, it is necessary to re-treat. Re-treatment is necessary in 100% of cases. In addition, in apartment buildings, one-time collective processing will be most effective.

Regarding remote northern regions, people often use a method of disposal such as freezing. Larvae are less viable than adult bedbugs, and low temperatures disastrous for them. Therefore, freezing for 3 days at temperatures below -20 degrees bears fruit. But where there are larvae, there are also adults, which are not so easy to kill with frost.

Pests must be killed wisely. Therefore, we advise you to contact professionals who will come to your home and carry out a special sanitary treatment of the room. Yes, you will spend a certain amount Money, but you will save your time, nerves and the health of yourself and your loved ones.

Useful information on the topic in the video: