Updated at: 13-02-2023 - By: Sienna Lewis

When bedbugs infest your only residence, it is imperative that they be eliminated immediately. It’s also possible that they may infest a property that you don’t even live in. How long can bedbugs survive in an empty house before they are exterminated?

Bed bugs can survive in an empty house for up to four and a half months before they die out. The presence of a blood meal host and the temperature of the house are the two most important determinants of how fast or slowly bed bugs may die.

Exterminating bedbugs rapidly, even in situations where a house is left empty for long periods of time, is still recommended in most cases, even in instances where the house is kept uninhabited for long periods of time.

Request a bed bug consultation by filling out the form below. Alternatively, if you’re willing to take a risk and see if bedbugs will die off on their own, keep reading.

What is Bed Bug Hibernation?

Diapause is the sleep-wake cycle that bed bugs go through when they hibernate. As far as we know, bed bugs don’t hibernate at a set time of year. In contrast to bears, they don’t go into hibernation at the end of the year, but rather, their hibernation is triggered by a variety of factors. It is a result of global warming. As the weather cools, these bugs go into a latent state, conserving energy and allowing them to survive longer between meals.

How Long Can Bed Bugs Live Without Food? - PestSeek

The Conditions That Affect the Survivability of Bed Bugs

There have been various research done to discover how long bed bugs may go without feeding, as stated above. These experiments took place in highly regulated surroundings dictated by strict technical standards. Bedbugs travel in search of food, therefore these harsh settings may not be accurate in the actual world.

In the actual world, the only place a famished bed bug could be found is in a deserted house in a remote area with no other people living there, for example.

Bedbugs have been shown to be able to go without a meal for long periods of time, with the longest being 18 months, which was recorded in 1914. Other recent research have found that the bedbugs died after only two months of fasting. The following conditions were included in this investigation.

• Changes in Temperature

Climate change has a significant impact on bed bug proliferation, feeding habits, and even the length of their lives. It is important to remember that one of the most effective techniques to get rid of bedbugs is to drastically alter the room’s temperature. Temperatures below 0 degrees Fahrenheit and above 118 degrees Fahrenheit are inhospitable to bed bugs. Because of this, some exterminators choose to utilize heat to get rid of bed bugs.

It is only when temperatures fall below freezing that bedbugs go into hibernation, as it is more difficult for them to endure the cold. It is possible for hibernating bed bugs to live in these mild settings because they remain inactive until the temperature changes. When the temperature drops even lower, the bed bugs freeze to death.

• Bed Bug Developmental Stages

Before becoming an adult, a bed bug goes through a series of instar stages. All five of these stages require a feeding and the shedding of skin before progressing to the next one. The bed bug’s resistance strengthens with each stage, allowing it to survive longer between meals.

Temperature has been demonstrated to have an effect on various stages, according to research. Younger bed bugs are less able to withstand the harsh environment they are subjected to. A nymph needs eat in order to progress to the next stage. A failure to do so will delay or impede the following stage indefinitely.

• The Strain of the Bed Bug

Over ninety distinct species of bed bugs can be found all over the world. There are, however, just three people who are interested in human blood. As a result, researchers have discovered that some bed bug strains are more resistant to heat and cold than others. As a result, bed bug control has been extremely difficult.

All those hunger tests have generated varied conclusions regarding how long a bed bug can survive without a meal because of the variability in the strain of bed bugs.

• The Amount of Blood

There is a correlation between a bedbug’s feeding time and its size and blood consumption. This also has an effect on its desire to eat once more. If the bug’s last meal was substantial, it may be able to survive for a little longer before going hungry.

Points to Note

It is possible for bed bugs to go a period of time without feeding. To utilize starvation against these bloodsuckers would take a significant amount of time and effort, therefore this information may be of little benefit in your battle against bed bugs. You must entirely remove the bed bugs from the food chain in order to use starving as a method of eliminating them from your house.

The fact that bed bugs will eventually spread out in search of a meal further raises doubts about the efficacy of starving as a bed bug control method.

For the reasons indicated above, it would be difficult to identify the specific strain of bed bug you have in your home. Some people are born with a resistance to most tasks, which can generate dissatisfaction because they can overcome the same obstacles that were supposed to eliminate them.

How Long Can Bed Bugs Live Without Food? - Surprisingly Long - The Pest Informer

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR BED BUGS TO DIE WITHOUT A HOST?

While bedbugs can cause extensive wear and tear to your bed linens, they don’t eat your sofa or other furniture. Bed bugs need blood to survive, and if they don’t get a blood meal, they will die.

If there was absolutely no host available from which to feed on their blood, a young bed bug could die as quickly as within several weeks, while an adult bed bug could survive as long as 4.5 months under optimal conditions of heat and humidity before dying of starvation1. Their blood meal provides them with the humidity they need, and once that is depleted, they will die.

Remember that bed bugs aren’t just interested in humans; they’ll also prey on your pets and any other creatures that happen to be living in your home. This means that even if no humans are present, bed bugs may live far longer than predicted if they can feed on animals that are present in the home.

Additionally, the temperature of your home is a consideration. If the temperature is continuously below 25 degrees F, bed bugs will die within three weeks, and they will also die if they are exposed to temperatures exceeding 113 degrees F for more than a week. As a result, if the residence maintains these temperatures for an extended period of time, the bed bugs will be killed. Even if the temperature dips to 25 degrees at night, bed bugs can survive if the temperature increases to 30 degrees during the day (for example).

If you leave your home for an extended length of time (even a year or more), you run the risk of returning to find it infested with bedbugs. As soon as possible, the best course of action is to eradicate the bugs. If you’d like to get started, click here.

WHERE DO BED BUGS HIDE IN AN EMPTY HOUSE?

Where humans spend a significant amount of time, such as couches, mattresses, and other furniture are the most popular hiding locations for bed bugs. The first place to look if there are any leftover pieces of furniture is in this area.

For example, if the property is absolutely unoccupied and there are no visible signs of bed bugs hiding behind loose wall trim or molding, they could be lurking in the crevices between light switch sockets and walls. If your home has hardwood flooring, the bugs may be hiding in the crevices and under the floorboards, depending on how loose they are.

As a result, the deployment of traps and enticements in abandoned buildings is critical. If bed bugs aren’t caught, they’ll just find a new hiding place, making treatment impossible.

As a result, rather than attempting to cure oneself for bed bugs in an empty property, you should engage a qualified specialist.

HOW TO GET RID OF BED BUGS IN AN EMPTY HOUSE

If you’re trying to get rid of the bedbugs from an empty house, it’s basically the same as if you were trying to get rid of them from an inhabitable one.

Bed bugs can spread through the hallways if there is bedding or other furniture in the house, so remove any bedding (sheets, blankets, pillows, etc.) and place them in large airtight bags or containers to carry them to the washing machine. Then, use hot water to wash and dry the garments.

Hire an exterminator if you don’t already have one to get rid of them fast and thoroughly, and don’t forget to inspect your walls and floors for any nooks and crannies where they could hide.

Call us immediately at 717-393-7879 for a free bed bug elimination estimate if you live in southern Pennsylvania. We’re situated in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, but we also service York, Harrisburg, Lebanon, and Hershey in the surrounding area.

How Long Can Bed Bugs Live Without Food? | All You Need to Know - Pest Samurai

Summary

An exterminator is your best bet for getting rid of bed bugs because they have a number of survival strategies up their sleeves. You can utilize our strategies to get rid of a lesser infestation. The sort of bed bug infestation in your home will be identified by an exterminator if it is large enough.

Bedbugs may go without food for a long time, so they’ll devise a plan to get rid of them that may require a series of repeat treatments.

It’s common for bed bugs to hide out while you’re doing bed bug treatment until the chemicals wear off. When the habitat is safe again, they come out and continue to eat, necessitating a second round of therapy. They may be able to go into a sort of hibernation while they wait for the right conditions to emerge.