![]() Each successive instar becomes more durable and can go longer without food. Younger nymphs may live only 20 days without food, depending on the temperature and humidity levels. Can They Really Last a Year Without Food? ![]() ![]() Because a bed bug can’t molt without having a blood mean, a single instar can potentially last over a year. Generally speaking, bed bugs nymphs will reach the end of each instar in about a week at temperatures of 72° Fahrenheit, but tend to shed their exoskeletons on average every 35 to 48 days, sometimes longer if they haven’t had fed on human blood.Ī bed bug goes through five instars before reaching adulthood, molting between each one. In fact, the only real reason you might find the casings in your sheets is because of their feeding habits. This habit is also one of the big reasons bed bug infestations can become so difficult to treat. This protects them from potential predators and also allows them to lay their eggs where they’ll remain safe. Keep in mind, bed bugs hate all sorts of things, and they tend to crave dark, tight spaces. See Also: Can Bed Bugs Live in Carpet? Why Do Bed Bugs Shed Their Skin in Such Strange Places? For example, you’re likely to spot some casings in your bed but completely miss the ones hidden behind loose wallpaper or picture frames, under or behind the bed, or in the edges or creases of carpets and upholstery.īut wait, there’s more! Bed bugs will also molt in even stranger places such as zippers, buttons, your box spring or mattress seams, inside electronic devices, in the heads of screws, hinges… The list of potential spot can be almost endless. Where Are the Shells Typically Found?īed bug casings are found in a wide range of crazy places, and you’ll often not even notice them. Thus it’s possible to discover shells that have no legs or only some legs. However, these hollow leg casings are brittle and can break off over time. Initially, bed bug shells will have legs just like the insect that shed them. This resilience not only protects the bed bug during its life, but will also result in fully intact shells once shed. As it goes through successive instars towards adulthood, the bed bug shells will become increasingly hard.Įven though the shed casings are hollow and somewhat transparent, you’ll find they still take a little effort to crush. Remember, the exoskeleton of a bug is exactly what it sounds like – a skeleton on the outside of their body instead of inside. In the earliest instars, bed bug nymphs have slightly softer shells, but they’re still pretty hard overall. Depending on the age of the bed bug, the shells can be a s small as 1/16 inch up to 3/8 inches long. These casings are a reddish brown just like the bed bug (remember, the exoskeleton is an insect equivalent of skin as well as the skeletal structure). This is because the casings are a perfect replica of the bed bug itself with one exception – it’s hollow, so you can see through it. When you first spot a bed bug casing, you might freeze, waiting for it to move. Sometimes the new shell also bears a slightly different shape or color. The shed casing reveals a softer shell that hardens to a lareger size. In fact, all insects have to do this in order to grow.īed bug shells are actually exoskeletons and are too rigid for the insect to grow, so they molt. However, there are many other bedroom bugs that could be leaving casings as well. When you spot insect casings in your bedroom, it’s easy to jump to conclusions and blame bed bugs. In other words, depending on which type of bed bug infestation you have, your mileage may vary (YMMV), but only by a tiny amount. We’ll be focusing on measurements and timeframes which fit within the ranges of both species. These two species have slightly different life cycles and can vary in other factors as well. The other species, the tropical bed bug ( Cimex hemipterus), is found in the southern states and isn’t as widespread as the common bed bug. Get a free quote from top pest control companies in your area. The common bed bug ( Cimex lectularius) is the one you’re most likely to run into and can be found throughout much of the northern hemisphere. ![]() What Causes Bed Bugs In the First Place?īefore we get into discussing bed bug casings, it’s important to note that there is more than one species of bed bug.What Does It Mean If You Find Bed Bug Casings?.Do Adult Bed Bugs Shed Their Skin as Well?.Can They Really Last a Year Without Food?.How Often Do Bed Bugs Shed Their Shell?.Why Do Bed Bugs Shed Their Skin in Such Strange Places?.What Do Bed Bug Shell Casings Look Like?.
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