Bed Bugs are more fertile than scientists had thought. And it doesn't take a lot of food - our blood - for them to reproduce.
A
recent study led by Roberto Pereira, an associate research scientist
at the University of Florida's entomology and nematology department,
found that female bedbugs can produce eggs even if they only eat 5
minutes per week. A bedbug's typical feeding is 10 minutes.
"I
expected them to not do very well, to be starved," said Pereira. "But
even if they eat very little they can still produce a few eggs."
Pereira's
interest in bedbug fertility began a few years ago, when bedbug
outbreaks began occurring in public places such as movie theaters,
clothing stores and public transportation. Read more...
