How bedbugs breed - all about bloodsucking parasites

Blood-sucking parasites cause serious harm to human health. They settle in sleeping places, crevices of walls and other parts of the room. The residents of the apartment do not see the bugs reproducing, they suddenly encounter a large colony of insects, which has grown in close proximity. In order to prevent infection of the premises, it is necessary to study information on the characteristics of the reproduction of parasites.

Bed bug reproduction rate

Home bugs are lurking human blood-sucking parasites. In time to detect their appearance in the apartment is quite difficult. Insects lead a secretive lifestyle, but at the same time actively increase the number of colonies. How fast are bedbugs? Under favorable conditions, at a temperature of 26-30 °, parasites only need 30-42 days to turn from an egg into a mature individual. Given the high fecundity of females, the number of pests is growing exponentially. Entomologists have estimated that one female lays 250-500 eggs in her life.

Mating features

Reproduction of bugs occurs through traumatic insemination. The male, having reached puberty, pierces the female abdomen with an acute copulative organ. During fertilization, he holds the partner with his limbs. Aggressive males attack not only adults, but also nymphs. Injuries of male parasites and other insects (cockroaches) that are in the path of an excited bug are not rare. After a puncture, he releases sperm, it is in the body of insects for a long period. When a male enters the body, the gametes mix, and the conservation of genetic material is beneficial to the species.

Representatives of the species Cimex lectularius between the 4th and 5th segments of the abdomen have a notch on their sides leading to the copulation bag. But the partner does not always get the needle-like sexual organ in this place. An unusual way of breeding looks life-threatening to the female. A wound remains at the puncture site, and pathogenic bacteria enter the body.

Nature provides for a compensation mechanism. In the body of females there is a special organ Berlese. This neoplasm plays the role of the semen. The seed is stored in it for some time. Tissue includes a large number of immune cells that quickly stop invading bacteria. In 2 hours, they cope with any pathogen. Inside the Berlese organ, a special antibacterial enzyme is produced that preserves the health of females.

Interesting fact. In 1897, the zoologist Ribag discovered an unknown organ in the stomach of a female domestic bug. The scientist suggested that it serves to create sounds. Upon further study, the semen stock was found inside. The zoologist discovered the organ of Berlese, but incorrectly determined its purpose. Only at the beginning of the 20th century did entomologists learn about the traumatic insemination of bugs and concluded that the organ functions.

The ingress of male germ cells into the body cavity in an extreme situation helps females survive. In case of prolonged hunger, the supply of gametes is not spent on fertilization, but on food. The body digests them instead of protein from the blood.Sperm enter the reproductive organs with hemolymph. After fertilizing the eggs, the female begins to lay. She sticks it in the dark crevices. The process takes place daily, the number of eggs laid varies from 1 to 12 pieces.

Information. Before copulation, the male bug needs to suck out blood, the female eats before laying.

Type of development of bugs

Representatives of the order Semi-winged belong to insects with incomplete transformation. In their development, the pupal phase is absent. Stages of bed bug development:

• Egg - the shape of the capsule, slightly curved. There is a lid on top, white. The size is about 1 mm, the masonry resembles a scattering of rice grains. The incubation period for bed bugs is an average of 7-10 days. It depends on the ambient temperature, the higher it is, the sooner the larvae appear. The maturation of the embryos is determined by the color of the masonry, before the release of the offspring, the eggs of the bugs turn yellow.
  

  Information. At temperatures below 5 °, parasite eggs do not develop. In this state, they remain viable for up to 40 days.

• Larva or nymph - after 5-12 days, a small parasite emerges from the egg, resembling an imago outwardly. The integument is soft, whitish, almost transparent before the first feeding. It differs from adults in short thick antennae and fewer segments on the tarsus. Before growing up, the nymph will have to go through 5 links and 5 ages. As it grows, the tight cuticle is reset. From birth, the insect requires enhanced nutrition with human blood. The larva is able to suck from 0.3 to 1 ml of blood. About the characteristics of the offspring of parasites will tell the article “Getting rid of bugs - all the facts about the larvae and offspring”.
  

  Information. Each stage of metamorphosis requires blood supply; without protein, the process is delayed.

• Adults are adult bugs of red-brown color, with a flattened body, 4.5-6 mm long. Insects lost wings. The main organ that allows you to navigate while searching for food is the four-segmented antennae. They capture the temperature of the human body and the release of carbon dioxide. The male bug differs from the female in smaller dimensions and a pointed tip of the abdomen. Insects prefer to attack exposed areas of the body. They need food every 5 days. After saturation, they are vulnerable to mechanical stress, parasites are easier to slam.

Information. Life expectancy of adult domestic bugs in favorable conditions is 12-14 months.

The full cycle of bedbug development takes 40-100 days. A large variation in timing is associated with the temperature factor. Together with nutrition, it accelerates or inhibits the development of insects.

The development cycle from the egg phase to the adult is called generation. In bed bugs, it is multiple, scientists do not give the exact number of generations with continuous reproduction. Under natural conditions in insects, seasonal changes in weather conditions affect the life cycle. Synanthropic parasites in apartments are in comfortable conditions, without sharp temperature fluctuations. It breed all year round.

Spread of parasites in the apartment

Experts warn that one adult female is enough to populate a home with synanthropic blood-sucking parasites. Without information on how bugs reproduce, it is not clear if one parasite appeared, how will it produce offspring? Female bugs are able to retain sperm throughout life, spending it in parts to fertilize eggs. After one copulation they without partners give rise to a whole population.

For active reproduction, the parasite needs regular blood supply. Bedbug attacks a person every 2-5 days. Food lasts up to 15 minutes, while the female drinks up to 7 ml of blood. She leaves the shelter at night or in the early morning at 3-5 hours. The self-preservation instinct tells the parasites when the victim is sleeping and is not a threat. After saturation, the insect increases by 2 times.After receiving high-protein nutrition, the bug goes to the slit of the bed or other furniture, where it lays the first eggs. Further this process will be continuous. Read about the harmfulness of insects in the article. “Bed bugs: the appearance of bloodsuckers, and what harm can they do to health?”.

In the apartment, blood-sucking heat-loving parasites find ideal conditions for life and reproduction. They take root in any room, even with perfect cleanliness. Insects need several conditions:

• favorable temperature in the range of 20-30 °;
• the presence of people as a food source;
• secluded places where arthropods hide in the daytime and put their masonry;
• specific humidity.

Of the first eggs laid, after 1-1.5 months, sexually mature females will appear, ready for procreation.

Where to look for adult bugs and offspring

Parasites arrange a kind of nest near the place of feeding. You can find it by smell, the bugs have odorous glands, from which an oily liquid with a sharp unpleasant aroma is released. In the process of communication, insects give each other signals by secretions from the glands. Their composition is close to the chemical formula of pheromones. Also, the presence of the colony is indicated by black dots left on the surface of the furniture or wall. This is insect excrement, the more there are, the larger the group of parasites.

The most likely areas where you can find insects:

• seams of mattresses;
• upholstery of upholstered furniture (sofa, armchairs);
• behind baseboards, picture frames;
• in the crevices of the walls;
• on the back of the cabinets.

The appearance of parasites in the apartment is always unexpected. The first sign of their life is the bite paths on the body of people. Particular attention should be paid to rashes and wounds in the form of paths in children. Bed bugs often fall into a dwelling with old furniture purchased from private individuals or in a store. They are brought at the seams of bags or the folds of the clothes of their trips. They can even move into the house through ventilation ducts. At the first sign of infection of the premises, begin the fight against parasites. Better to prevent their reproduction than to fight a large colony.