How long do bed bugs live?

If you have found bed bugs, you probably want to know how long they hang around. Will they die off if you sleep on the sofa for a week, or leave the flat empty for a month?

The honest answer is that bed bugs are tough and patient. This guide sets out what the main sources say, where they differ, and what that means in practice.

How long does a bed bug live in normal conditions?

The University of Kentucky, whose bed bug factsheet is widely used by pest professionals, says the average adult lives for about 10 months when conditions suit it. That means a warm home and a regular supply of blood, which in most houses means the people sleeping in the bed.

A quick note on the life cycle

You do not need to know the life cycle in detail, but a little helps explain why infestations grow. According to Kentucky:

• Eggs hatch in about a week at room temperature.
• Young bed bugs (nymphs) moult five times before they are adults, and each stage needs a blood meal.
• In warm conditions of about 21C to 27C, they can reach adulthood in as little as a month.

So a few bugs brought home in a bag can become several generations within a season if nothing is done.

How long do bed bugs live without food?

Bed bugs do not need to feed every night. They can hide in a mattress seam or a crack in the skirting and wait.

The sources do not all give the same figure, which is worth knowing:

• University of Kentucky: in a heated building, bed bugs typically survive about one to four months without feeding. At cooler temperatures, around 13C (55F) or below, they may survive a year or longer.
• CDC (US public health agency): bed bugs “can live several months without a blood meal”.
• BPCA (British Pest Control Association): its public leaflet says bed bugs can survive up to a year without feeding.

These are not really in conflict. The shorter figures describe a typical warm home, and the longer ones describe cold conditions where the bugs slow right down. A UK flat with the heating on sits closer to the first case. An unheated spare room, a garage or a lock-up in winter sits closer to the second.

How long do bed bugs live without a host?

“Without a host” means the same as without food, so the figures above apply. The table brings them together.

Why an empty room will not starve them out

Many people stay with family or leave a rental empty between tenants, hoping the bugs will die. A month or two away is well within what a hungry bed bug can survive.

The BPCA has also warned about this directly. In a 2022 news piece it said that a room left unused for months may not be free of bed bugs, and that bed bugs can move around within a building. In flats, hotels and shared houses, they can travel between rooms and between neighbouring homes, so leaving one room empty can push them somewhere else rather than getting rid of them.

Sleeping somewhere else

If you move to the sofa, the bed bugs may follow you, spreading the problem to a second piece of furniture. It is usually better to keep sleeping in your own bed while you arrange treatment.

Why exterminators come back over several weeks

Because bed bugs live so long and the eggs hatch over a period of days, a single visit is often not enough. A professional will usually plan a course of treatment with a follow-up visit, or more than one, so that any bugs that hatch from eggs after the first treatment are dealt with before they can breed.

The BPCA advises that self-treatment is unlikely to succeed, and the NHS says bed bugs are very difficult to get rid of yourself. Shop sprays and foggers are not a good idea: they can scatter the bugs into new hiding places and make the job harder.

What you can do in the meantime

While you arrange treatment, the NHS and BPCA suggest a few simple steps that help:

• Wash bedding and clothes at 60C, then tumble dry on a hot setting for at least 30 minutes.
• Vacuum the mattress, bed frame and floor around the bed, and empty the vacuum into a sealed bag outside.
• Cut down clutter around the bed, so there are fewer places to hide.

For more on laundry, see our guide on whether washing clothes kills bed bugs. If you are being bitten and the bites are bothering you, a pharmacist can advise, or speak to your GP.

Getting it sorted

Time is not on your side, so the sooner a professional looks at the problem, the smaller it is likely to be. A bed bug inspection confirms what you are dealing with, and our cost calculator gives you a rough idea of price before anyone visits. We can help you find a bed bug exterminator near you, including across London.

If you have found signs at home, tell us where you are and we will find an exterminator who covers your area.