How do bed bugs reproduce and how to stop them

The pest that everyone thought was gone and almost only heard of in the nursery rhyme, "Goodnight, sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite," is now present in nearly every country in the world and is dealt with in many Singapore homes. Frequent travel, lack of public awareness and the bed bug’s ability to reproduce quickly and in great numbers are what causes bed bugs to come, and lead to a rise in the spread of bed bugs. Is there a way from preventing the spread and multiplication of bed bugs?

Read also: What attracts bed bugs to a home?

Let us first understand how bed bugs reproduce

Bed bugs mate through what is call the traumatic insemination, where the female’s abdomen is injected with the sperm through the wound and into the abdominal cavity. When fertilisation happens, the female bug requires blood for egg laying purpose. Putting some numbers into perspective, each bed bug lays about 1-7 eggs a day and hatch in 6-10 days, and thereafter they need to feed on blood as food source. It will take at least another 3 weeks before they develop into an adult.

Female bed bugs are capable of laying 200-250 in their lifetime, depositing them in small cracks and crevices on the bed frames, headboards, and carpet linings, to name a few. Imagine, if there is couple of female bugs reproducing, these hundreds could amplify to thousands!

It is common for bed bugs to travel away from their current location to a safe area where they can guarantee food source and protect themselves from future mating during the process. This also explains why bugs can spread from room to room and become an infested hot spot.

How to prevent bed bugs from multiplying?

If you discovered bed bugs in your home, one of the first steps you should do is to call a pest control company who will come up with an effective bed bug control program. The pest professionals will perform a diligent inspection, and eliminate both eggs and adults through heat treatment and formulated spray. 2 to 3 treatments are required to carry out at intervals to cover the bed bug life cycle. Following the treatment, you can sign-up for periodic maintenance to keep your home bed bug-free. The pest control specialists will also advise you on useful tips and recommendations in minimising similar episodes. Read here to find out more on Rentokil Bed Bug Price.

• Vacuum regularly, including rug, carpet and curtains/ blinds
• Reduce the clutter in your home in order to spot a bug more prominently
• Encase box springs and mattresses
• Check second-hand furniture for bed bugs
• Wash clothes in hot water for 20 minutes to kill bed bugs
• For regular travellers, good to protect yourself further. Read here for prevention travel checklist against bed bugs.

Bed bugs control by Rentokil

As pest control specialists, we strongly advise against treating bed bugs with pesticides yourself, because unlike other pests, bed bugs are harder to eliminate on your own. Not only they are a challenge to spot due to its tiny size but also they are able to reproduce quickly in numbers, making it nearly impossible to eliminate them by yourselves.

Unfortunately, there are limitations in control efficacy and reach through DIY sprays you buy over the counter, due to its formulation and application method. What’s more, when used incorrectly, you risk not only worsening the problem but exposing your household to unnecessary chemical safety risks as well.

For effective bed bug treatment in Singapore, find out the six critical questions to ask a pest specialist to ensure that you are getting the best advice and options or contact us at (65) 6347 8138.

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