Bed bug eggs are tiny, pearl-white, oval eggs about 1 mm long, roughly the size of a pinhead or a grain of salt. They are glued in small clusters into mattress seams, bed frame joints and cracks, and eggs older than five days show a dark eye spot. They hatch in about a week at room temperature. Heat, steam and thorough vacuuming kill or remove them; most sprays don’t.
| Size | About 1 mm (1/32 inch) |
| Color | Pearl white to milky; a dark eye spot after about 5 days |
| Shape | Oval, like a tiny grain of rice, with a small cap at one end |
| Feel | Sticky coating glues them in place; they don’t brush off easily |
| Laid | Alone or in loose clusters, in cracks and seams near where people sleep |
| Hatch time | About 6 to 10 days at room temperature |
| Eggs per female | One to several a day; hundreds in a lifetime |
Table of Contents
Where to Find Bed Bug Eggs
- Mattress seams, piping, tufts and tags, especially at the head end
- Box spring fabric and the wooden frame inside it
- Bed frame joints, screw holes and slats
- Behind the headboard and in nightstand joints
- Couch seams and under cushions
- Cracks in baseboards, picture frames and electrical outlet covers near the bed
Use a bright flashlight at a low angle and a magnifying glass. Eggs are often found alongside shed skins and dark fecal spots. See what bed bugs look like for pictures of every sign.
Hatched Bed Bug Egg Shells
Once a nymph hatches, the empty shell stays glued in place. It looks flatter, clear or dull white, and often has an open end where the cap came off. Empty shells mean eggs have already hatched and nymphs are feeding.
Bed Bug Eggs vs Look-Alikes
| Could be | How to tell |
|---|---|
| Bed bug eggs | 1 mm, pearl white, glued firmly in seams; often with dark spots and shells nearby |
| Lint or fabric pills | Irregular shape, brushes off easily |
| Dandruff or salt grains | Flat or angular, not glued; not in seam lines |
| Lice nits | Attached to hair shafts on the head, not furniture |
| Carpet beetle eggs | Smaller, cream colored, in carpets and closets rather than bed seams |
What Kills Bed Bug Eggs
- Heat: sustained temperatures of about 118°F for 90 minutes, or 122°F for a shorter time, kill eggs. Whole-room heat treatment and a hot clothes dryer (at least 30 minutes on high) both work. See bed bug heat treatment.
- Steam: a steamer that delivers at least 160°F to 180°F at the tip, moved slowly along seams, kills eggs on contact.
- Vacuuming: removes eggs from seams and cracks. Use a crevice tool, then seal and throw out the bag right away.
- Freezing: 0°F for at least four days kills all stages, for small items that fit in a freezer.
- Encasements: zippered, bed bug-proof covers trap any eggs and bugs inside the mattress and box spring until they die.
- Professional treatment: chemical treatments need a follow-up about two weeks later to kill nymphs from eggs that survived.
Rubbing alcohol, vinegar and most household sprays don’t reliably kill eggs. See does alcohol kill bed bugs and the full bed bug life cycle.
Kill and trap bed bug eggs
- Handheld steamer for seams and crevices
- Mattress encasement to trap eggs inside
- Lighted magnifier to spot eggs
- Portable heat chamber for luggage, books and shoes
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FAQs
Bed bug eggs are pearl-white, oval and about 1 mm long, like a grain of salt. They are glued in seams and cracks, and older eggs show a dark eye spot.
Yes, but they are hard to spot. A bright flashlight and a magnifying glass help you find them in mattress seams and cracks.
Bed bug eggs hatch in about 6 to 10 days at room temperature. Cooler temperatures slow hatching.
Steam of at least 160°F to 180°F kills bed bug eggs on contact. Sustained heat of about 118°F for 90 minutes also kills them.
Bed bugs lay eggs in cracks and seams close to where people sleep: mattress seams, box springs, bed frames, headboards, nightstands and couch seams.
Sources
Facts in this guide are checked against the sources above and reviewed when they change. See how we research in our editorial policy.
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