Do Bed Bugs Lay Eggs Under Human Skin?

Bed bugs are notorious pests that pierce human skin and suck blood. They’re little vampires that crawl all over your skin at night Terrifying!

Do bed bugs lay eggs under human skin?

Bed bugs do all sorts of nasty stuff, but they don’t burrow or lay eggs under human skin. Phew!

Here are the basics:

  • Bed bugs can’t burrow and lay eggs under human skin 
  • Since bed bugs are ectoparasites, they spend the entirety of their life cycle outside the human body 
  • They prefer to lay eggs in dark, dry areas that can hold them firmly

In this article, we’ll go over what bed bugs do in relation to human bodies, the locations they lay their eggs, and how to spot and recognize bed bug eggs.


Do Bed Bugs Lay Eggs Under Human Skin? 

Bed bugs feed by puncturing the skin with their elongated mouth and sucking blood through the created opening. This is very similar to how mosquitoes suck blood.

However, the opening is not big enough for a bed bug to fit through and lay eggs. Thankfully. Bed bugs tend to stay away from human orifices like eyes, mouths, etc. They like dark, quiet places, not places that move around.

Even if they could lay their eggs under human skin, bed bugs wouldn’t. The human body is not a safe place for their eggs. They require an area where they won’t be disturbed, and the human body is not the ideal place for that. As we move about, the eggs would be crushed.

Instead, the bed bug lays its tiny rice-grain-shaped eggs in dark and warm areas close to its primary source of blood (that would be you, dear reader!). 

They only interact with humans when it’s time to feed.

Bed bugs feed for three to ten minutes, depending on their stage of development, and crawl away to a crack or crevice to digest and excrete the meal, generally unnoticed


Where Do Bed Bugs Lay Eggs?

Now that it has been established that bed bugs do not lay eggs under human skin, the question remains: where do they lay their eggs if not under human skin?

Bed bugs seek out-of-the-way locations that give them accessibility to humans and our sweet sweet blood.

Because they require humans to remain still while feeding, they lay their eggs in areas where people spend a lot of time sitting or sleeping, such as beds, bedframes, the cracks in walls and floorboards, sofas, and chairs. 

These are typically hiding places where humans cannot easily disturb them. These areas are chosen for the eggs because as soon as it hatches, the nymph that comes out of it starts looking for a blood meal to help it transition and molt to the next stage of its fascinating life cycle

Given these circumstances, it is clear that bed bugs will lay eggs in any item close to a sleeping or resting human. Apart from furniture, they lay eggs on bed sheets, pillowcases, curtain folds, cracks and crevices in walls, electrical outlets, stuffed toys, and so on. 


What Do Bed Bug Eggs Look Like?

Bed Bug Eggs

Knowing where bed bugs lay their eggs is only the first step. You also need to know what to look for and how to identify them.

Given their small size and almost translucent hue, bed bug eggs are typically difficult to locate and identify. They are oval-shaped, about 1mm long, and very pale. They blend in well with their surroundings and are hardly noticeable to the naked eye.

Bed bug eggs look a lot like grains of rice. But they’re tiny, more like the size of a grain of salt. They are very difficult to see.

Bed bug eggs look a lot like grains of rice. But they’re tiny, more like the size of a grain of salt. They are very difficult to see.

Bed bugs have a sticky substance that glues their eggs to the surfaces on which they lay them. So, a little turbulence would not make them fall off – this makes them survive easily on sheets, pillowcases, and toys. 

When looking for bed bug eggs, you’ll need a diligent eye to spot and distinguish them. 


How to Locate And Identify Bed Bug Eggs

Bed bugs avoid open surfaces that humans can easily access. They look for tiny nooks and fissures to crawl into after feeding or to lay their eggs. Consider their size and concentrate on spaces you are confident they can fit in. They most likely have placed eggs there already.

Use a strong flashlight to illuminate any dark space and a magnifying glass to magnify the view of any crack or gap. Check the edge of your bed and the fabric’s folds, creases, and fissures.

Bed bugs may lay their eggs there, because it’s very close to where you sleep, and they have easy access to blood. 

Next, inspect your bedroom’s flooring, curtains, and electrical outlets (don’t stick anything inside!). Check the grooves and hinges on every piece of bedroom furniture. You then go on to other rooms where you typically spend much time sitting stationary or doing nothing. You will find the eggs if you thoroughly search all potential hiding places.

You can identify bed bugs and their eggs early on by looking out for these signs:

1. Bed Bug Eggs in the Seams of the Mattress 

This is the telltale sign you have a bed bug-infested mattress, and it would get worse if those eggs hatch. 

2. Red or Rust-colored Spots on the Mattress

This happens when you unintentionally crush or squeeze a bed bug that just finished feeding – some of the blood they’ve ingested can leak onto the bed, and the blood creates those spots

3. Smaller, White Nymphs Crawling on the Mattress

These are hatched eggs that are yet to feed. They’re searching for their next blood meal when you see them around. 

4. Foul Smell On or Around the Bed

Bed bugs release odors called alarm pheromones when disturbed and can be quite unpleasant if released at high concentrations.

5. Fecal Stains

These look around the size of a pen’s tip and are tiny, dark brown, or black spots. Fecal spotting are much smaller than blood stains. They are usually found clustered in living areas and can be found on sheets and clothing.


Conclusion

Bed bugs are a nightmare pest capable of ruining your life during an infestation.

But fortunately, they cna’t burrow under human skin, or lay eggs under the skin. Bed bugs require a place that’s dark, dry, and still to lay eggs. The human body is not an ideal place to lay eggs. 

Although bed bugs do not lay eggs under human skin (nor do roaches), other parasites, such as mites, do.

If you’re infested with bed bugs, it’s best to simply contact an expert familiar with these pests. You’re going to need some assistance. Good luck.