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Reproduction without a host?
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maverick
newbite
Joined: Mar '08
Posts: 4offline
Posted 5 years ago
Fri Mar 14 2008 18:07:59
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I know that BB's can go dormant and survive for months without feeding. But do they reproduce in that condition? Hypothetically, would 100 BB's in a completely empty house increase in number, or remain at that level before eventually dying off?
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senior member
Joined: Dec '07
Posts: 543offline
Posted 5 years ago
Fri Mar 14 2008 21:11:22
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No,they can't grow without a host and that's when they go into dormancy I think,when there is no food.Remember no food is a relative term,no people doesn't equate no food,any mammal will do.Rats,mice,birds,whatever.
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junior member
Joined: Aug '07
Posts: 51offline
Posted 5 years ago
Fri Mar 14 2008 22:43:04
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The females stop laying eggs once their food supply goes away. After they take a new meal, the laying resumes. They do not need to be re-impregnated however, so you can have a solo female (that has been impregnated previously) that sits dormant for a long time, then starts laying eggs. I actually starve the adults in our control hides when I don't want new nymphs showing up in the hides I will be placing in customer's properties. (Something about not wanting to have to find 1st instar unfed nymphs in a customer's home if someone breaks a control vial.) What happens in your hypothetical situation is there would be a slight increase in the population as egg laying slowed to stop, but there wouldn't be 1000's of hungry bedbugs waiting for the next lucky person to sleep in that house. Bugbasher's point is critical though... they will seek out alternate hosts, even if they prefer the taste of us. That's one of the reasons neighbors of an infested apartment can expect visitors if the primary host decides to just move out.
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senior member
Joined: Dec '07
Posts: 543offline
Posted 5 years ago
Fri Mar 14 2008 23:03:28
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Spdibbk9,
Lol,that's a funny picture you had me laughing,although I could see how it wouldn't be funny for you at the time.I wouldn't be able to see a 1st instar with movement and some good light backround. I have (much to my surprise) caught a few on my sheets if they were moving and a couple were an investigation,piece of lint,no,it's a bb.Would defininately not want to try to find one on unfamiliar turf!I'd make sure to use unbreakable plastic,lol.
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