Bed bugs start an infestation primarily by being unknowingly brought into a home or other location on personal belongings such as clothing, luggage, linens, or secondhand furniture like mattresses and couches. They hitchhike from infested places—hotels, public transport, offices, or other dwellings—on these items and then spread if not promptly addressed
. The bugs themselves are small, brownish-red insects that feed exclusively on blood, usually at night. Female bed bugs lay multiple eggs (up to 200-500 in a lifetime), which hatch in about 10 days. The young bed bugs (nymphs) must feed on blood to grow and molt through five stages before becoming adults. This reproductive cycle allows the population to grow rapidly once established
. In summary, bed bugs start by being transported into a new environment via infested items or on people, then reproduce by feeding on blood and laying eggs, leading to an infestation if not controlled. They do not originate spontaneously but spread through human activity and movement of belongings
