How Long Does the Average Pest Live? - Rove Pest Control

How Long Does the Average Pest Live?

Each kind of pest has their own typical life span, but how long does bugs live on average? In this post we answer the common question of how long do insects live.

Black flying ants with wings making their way home through crevices.

How Long Do Ants Live?

Ants can live for different amounts of time, depending on what kind of ant they are and what job they do in the colony. Some ants live just a few days, while others can live for years!

A colony has three main types of ants: male ants, worker ants, and queen ants.

Let’s start with male ants. These guys don’t live very long. After they mate with a female ant, they only live for a few more days.

Next, we have the worker ants. These are female ants, but they don’t lay eggs. Instead, they do all the hard work! They care for the queen, build and fix the nest, and go out for food. Worker ants can live for a few weeks or even several months.

The queen ant is the one who lives the longest. Some ant colonies have one queen, while others have more. The queen lays all the eggs for the colony and can live for many years. If you want to get rid of ants in your home, it’s important to get rid of the queen, too.

Another thing that affects how long ants live is how much food they can find. If ants lack food, they won’t live as long. That’s why keeping your home clean and storing food in sealed containers is a good idea. If ants can’t find food, they’re less likely to stick around.

Bonus fact! Did you know that ants sometimes care for each other when hurt or sick? That’s right! Ants will clean wounds and help other ants get better. Ants that get this special care are 90% more likely to survive—talk about teamwork!

How Long Do Spiders Live?

The life span of spiders varies similarly to ants in that gender and the specific species will play a role. Many kinds of spiders tend to die from the environment or predators rather then from old age.

Some spiders, such as female tarantulas can live well past 20 years or more, however most species of house spider will only last a month or two even though under safe conditions, they can survive up to a year or two.

As with ants, being male or female can play a role in how long a spider lives. For example, in many spider species after mating, the female spider actually eats the male spider for nourishment to make sure the new baby spiders can survive.

Other factors that can reduce life span of spiders can also be destruction of habitat, disease, or lack of food sources among other things. Spiders will often only be in your home when they have an adequate food source to survive.

Spiders aren’t like other pests that are in your home feeding on food sources you leave out. They feed on other insects and pests, so you might be seeing a lot of spiders if you have other pest issues in your home as well.

Increased spider activity could be a good sign that you may need to have your home treated for pests.

How Long Is a Roaches Life Span?

Cockroaches are going to be invading your home if they have ample food, shelter and water access. Keeping your home clean and fixing any leaky plumbing can be among the first steps to reducing pest issues with roaches and reducing their life span.

Roaches have an incredibly long life span compared to many pests and many can live anywhere from 300 to 600 days or more. These pests are also very hardy and can even survive without a head!

A cockroach can survive for a month or more without food, but only about a week without water. They can absorb oxygen though their exoskeleton so they don’t need a head to breath. The only real reason they die without their head is that they don’t have a way to drink water.

If you are waiting for these pests to die out on their own, you won’t have much luck. It’s best to have your home treated by a pest control service if you are serious about getting rid of cockroach issues.

How Long Do Bed Bugs Live?

Bed bugs are another pest that tends to last longer than most, and the can also go for extended periods of time without feeding. Most bed bugs have an average life span of around 10 months, but many can live a year or longer with the right conditions.

Bed bugs feed off of warm blooded animals. Typically these are humans, but they aren’t limited to just that, and they could feed from other animals or your pets in your home. They also don’t just live in beds and can be found on furniture, luggage, clothes, and beds among other things.

The major factors that influence bed bug life span is temperature and food sources. Bed bugs have become increasingly harder to kill through chemical means, and they have developed resistance to many forms of pest control.

One effective and relatively safe method to battle bed bugs is with a heat treatment. Bed bugs can’t survive in high temperatures, so this has been found to be a safe and quick way to get rid of bed bugs.

As for feeding, they typically will need to feed within a week or two after being born, but after that, they can survive months without food. When temperatures are colder they have been shown to survive longer without food as well.

How Long Do Mice Live?

Mice are pests that don’t necessarily have an extra long life span like roaches or bed bugs, but they do tend to breed incredibly fast, which can lead to a small rodent problem into a large one. The average house mouse tends to live around 9 months to a year.

During that year however, mice could end up breeding many times over, as many mice will reproduce up to 10 times a year, and each time they produce upwards of 12 mice per litter.

Mice life spans have pretty similar factors as most pests in that they need adequate food, water, and shelter. Mice will typically enter your home as temperatures drop from fall to winter.

Rodent issues can be hard to eliminate on your own as they breed very quickly and hide in hard to reach places such as under appliances and in wall voids.

Stop Pests Before They Take Over With Rove Pest Control

Did you know that common pests like ants, cockroaches, and mice can live for several months or even years if left untreated? These pests can quickly grow in numbers, making your home uncomfortable. Don’t let pests take over your space! Rove Pest Control offers fast and effective solutions to remove unwanted guests from your home. Our experienced team knows how to handle all types of pests to keep your home clean. Contact Rove Pest Control online today to get rid of pests for good!