Where one bed bug lurks…you can bet there are dozens, if not hundreds, of eggs nearby.
We’ve talked before on this blog about how to get rid of bed bugs: but how do you get rid of bed bug eggs? Is there a difference?
Today, we’re tackling everything you need to know about bed bug eggs and how to get rid of them.
Bed Bug Eggs 101
How fast do bed bugs reproduce?
On average, a bed bug lays one egg a day. At their peak, bed bugs can lay 5-7 eggs per day. Over its lifetime, the average bed bug can lay over 100 eggs. Each egg typically takes between 7-10 days to hatch.
Compared with other insects, bed bugs don’t actually reproduce all that quickly. (A housefly lays 500 eggs over just a few days, in comparison.) That said, bed bugs are small and very good at hiding—so even though they reproduce slowly, it’s easy for their numbers to grow undetected.
What do bed bug eggs look like?
Bed bug eggs are very small, around 1mm in length (the size of a pin head), and whitish in color. (That often makes them difficult to see, unfortunately.) When the eggs are at least 5 days old, they’re marked with a black spot. They’re often found when you see tiny white clusters on your mattress.
Where can I find bed bug eggs?
Bed bugs will typically lay their eggs in a warm, dark place near their food source. Because bed bugs feed on people, that usually means you can find bed bug eggs on and around mattresses, box springs, and bed frames. Eggs are very commonly found on mattress seams.
That said, bed bugs aren’t only found in the bedroom. In serious infestations, bed bugs and their eggs might be spread throughout the house: from couches to electrical outlets to ceilings! (Read more about common bed bug hiding places here.)
How to Get Rid of Bed Bug Eggs
Bed bugs versus bed bug eggs…sure, they’re different stages of the bed bug lifecycle, but does that matter when getting rid of them?
Unfortunately, depending on the treatment, it does.
For example, most pesticides generally don’t work on bed bug eggs; they might only work on larvae, nymph, and adult bed bugs. That’s why treatment of bed bugs using pesticides requires several applications spaced out over a period of weeks. The initial application kills the hatched bed bugs, then you have to wait for any eggs to hatch and treat again.
So what does work on bed bug eggs? The best treatment is…heat!
Homeowners can get rid of bed bug eggs in the following ways:
- Washing clothing, bedding, linens, etc. in hot water
- Place items that can’t be washed in hot water in the dryer on high heat for at least 30 minutes
- Use a commercial steamer (not a clothing or carpet steamer—these don’t get hot enough) to steam carpets, baseboards, curtains, bed frames, and non-upholstered furniture.
Why We Recommend Heatigation
Most homeowners don’t want to spend weeks getting rid of bed bugs and their eggs—and we don’t blame them!
If your home has bed bugs, we often recommend Heatigation.
Heatigation is the gold standard in bed bug treatment. Heat treatment kills all stages of the bed bug lifecycle—including the eggs. As a result, Heatigation is a faster and more efficient treatment.
Heatigation involves raising the ambient air temperature throughout your home or business to a level that is lethal to bed bugs. (Remote thermometers are placed to ensure the right temperature is reached.) The heat radiates into walls, belongings, etc.—getting into hard-to-reach places that insecticides can’t reach.
With one Heatigation treatment, you can skip weeks of laundering clothes and steam-cleaning your entire house.
Call Us for Bed Bug Help
If you suspect your home has bed bugs, we’re here for you.
Call us today to learn how we can help you get rid of your home’s bed bugs—from eggs to adults and everything in between.
Contact Scherzinger Pest Control, a trusted pest control company in the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky areas, including Dayton, OH, and now Columbus, OH. We’ve been pioneers, engineering new standards for ways of eliminating and controlling bugs and pests. Contact us by phone at 1-877-748-9888 or through our website, Facebook, or Twitter.