A Beginner’s Guide to Bed Bugs

Betsy Taylor
6/5/2026

“Good night, sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite” is a popular children’s rhyme popularized in the 1800s in America, but the origins go back much further in Europe. Bed bugs have been household pests for more than 2,000 years and were brought to America by early colonists, where they continue to thrive today.

It is important to understand the life cycle of bed bugs and what steps you can take to eradicate them. There are seven stages of their life cycle, from egg to a full adult that can breed, which takes about five weeks. It takes two weeks to hatch, and at this point they begin to bite a host and feed on blood.

The Life Cycle

• Egg: Bed bugs start their lives in eggs, which have a milky white color to them. These eggs are about one millimeter in length, so they can be hard to see because they are comparable in size to a couple grains of salt.
• First-Stage Nymph: There are five stages of growth that nymphs go through. First-stage nymphs are 1.5 millimeters in length. As soon as they come out of their eggs, they can start feeding immediately. Throughout these nymph stages, the bed bugs are not mature, so they will not begin to breed until they are fully adults.
• Second-Stage Nymph: Once a bed bug has gone through its first molt, it will become a second-stage nymph, which is about 2 millimeters long.
• Third-Stage Nymph: After molting again, bed bugs become third-stage nymphs. At this point, they are around 2.5 millimeters long.
• Fourth-Stage Nymph: At this stage, bed bugs get to be 3 millimeters long.
• Fifth-Stage Nymph: This is the final nymph stage, and once it is reached, bed bugs can get up to 4.5 millimeters long.
• Adult: It takes about five weeks for a nymph to become an adult. At this point, they can breed. The lifespan of a bed bug is generally about four to six months.

Follow Policies and Procedures

Once you have discovered a potential bed bug situation, I would recommend each property management company follow their individual policies and procedures outline. The steps below are an example of what you could include:

• Notify a pest control company that you have a possible bed bug infestation and have them investigate. This information is not shared with guests at this point.
• Notify property owners of the situation and keep them updated throughout the process.
• If bed bugs are confirmed, inform owners of the recommended and cost and additional amount of lost rental income. The owner may want to check with their homeowner’s policy as treatment is expensive.

How Does This Affect the Guest?

So, how does this affect your in-house guest? Unfortunately, there is no easy way to salvage their vacation. Depending on your policies, the following options may apply:

• All suitcases should be double-bagged and placed outside.
• Dry all clothing/fabric items on high for 30 minutes. Place in trash bags, not luggage.
• Guests will need to vacate premises. Refunding a prorated amount of rent or full amount (if owner agrees).
• Lodging options may include guest returning home or finding accommodations elsewhere.
• To ensure there is no cross-contamination, many companies will not relocate guests to another home in their program.

How to Eradicate Bed Bugs

It is important to call a professional pest control company for eradication. After the inspection of the entire home, you should be presented with several options on what areas are infested and how to best remove them. Some typical options may include the following:

• Chemically treated – Pesticide used to spray surfaces will kill eggs and adults
• Encase mattresses in plastic after treatment – this covering will not be removed.
• Heat Treatment – Temperature of 122 degrees throughout the home.
• New mattresses may be required.
• All bedding, pillows, and clothing may be dried on high heat for 30 minutes to an hour.

While bed bugs can create a disruption in service and carry a high cost, by following your set protocols and communicating with guests and owners throughout the process, the long-term impact of an infestation can be lessened.

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