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As a professional bed bug inspection and extermination company, one of the things we pay special attention to is bed bug eggs.
A single female bed bug lays around 1–7 eggs every day, adding up to hundreds of eggs within its lifetime. Bed bug eggs usually hatch in 7–10 days, and the newly hatched bed bugs will mature and start reproducing after 5–7 weeks.
Finding bed bug eggs helps determine where bed bugs are coming from and the severity of the infestation.
When exterminating bed bugs, you need to make sure you’re killing not only nymphs and adults but any viable eggs as well. Bed bug eggs tend to be more resilient to chemical treatments, so a follow-up visit is often necessary after 2 weeks to kill any newly-hatched bed bugs before they start biting and reproducing again.
If you’re trying to spot bed bug eggs at home, or if you’re wondering what they look like, continue reading to find out.
Video: What Do Bed Bug Eggs Look Like?
We asked our entomologist, Lou, and here’s how he explains it.
Louis N. Sorkin is a Board Certified Entomologist at Entsult Associates Inc. Before that, he worked at the American Museum of Natural History since 1978.
What Do Bed Bug Eggs Look Like?
Bed bug eggs are visible to the naked eye—you don’t need a microscope to see them.
If you’re used to looking for them, and you know what they look like, you’ll spot them. If you don’t know what you’re looking for, you might overlook them or mistake them for something else.
Bed bug eggs resemble grains of rice, but much smaller. Most are pearly white-gray in color with an elongated oval shape that’s only about 1 millimeter long.
At the front end of each egg is a hinged cap, which opens up to create an opening that a newly hatched bed bug nymph comes out of.
Sometimes you might find only eggshells after they’ve already hatched. Since the cap is off, you’ll see a hole on one side of the egg.
Bed bug eggs can be pretty well-hidden. When depositing their eggs, female bed bugs use a glue-like material to adhere them to surfaces.
You can typically find them in harborage areas, which is where bed bugs stay. In a large infestation with a lot of female bed bugs laying eggs, it can be pretty obvious. But newer harborage areas might be harder to notice, such as a recessed screw hole, a door hinge, or a crevice.
Learn more: What Do Bed Bug Eggs Look Like? (Pictures)
Need Help Getting Rid of Bed Bugs?
MMPC has over 25 years of experience as one of New York’s highest-rated pest control companies. We specialize in reliable and comprehensive bed bug services, including inspections, treatment, and prevention. If you have questions about bed bugs or you need professional help to get rid of them, contact us today!