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The five juvenile nymph stages are miniature versions of the adults in appearance. Each nymph stage requires at least one blood meal to molt to the next stage and it takes 5-10 minutes for a complete meal. The entire development to adult takes 6-8 weeks, and adults live on average for 6-12 months. After mating once, each female lays 2 or 3 eggs per day throughout her life span. The 1mm cream coloured eggs are cemented on rough surfaces of hiding places, and will hatch within 10 days at room temperature, longer when cooler.
Bed bugs shelter in a variety of dark locations, close to where people sleep. Typical places are under mattresses, floorboards, paintings and carpets, behind skirting, in various cracks and crevices of walls, within bed frames and other furniture, and behind loose wallpaper.
Bed bugs are one of the great travellers of the world and are readily transported via luggage, clothing, bedding and furniture. As such, they have a worldwide distribution.
If you suspect an infestation of bed bugs then there is no effective DIY solution and you must use a licensed pest controller. The pest expert will carefully inspect all possible hiding places within infested and adjoining rooms. Once they identify all likely hiding places, then they will use an approved insecticide, which will have some residual activity. The synthetic pyrethroids, notably permethrin, are the main chemicals of choice for control. You cannot buy these chemicals yourself. Good housekeeping practices and a reduction in possible harbourages such as cracks and crevices will discourage repeat infestations. As bed bugs are cryptic in their habits, complete control is often difficult to achieve with the first treatment. This is especially so with heavy infestations and a repeat treatment evaluation should be performed.