At Which Temperature Do Bed Bugs Die?
WouterThe temperature at which bed bugs die is critical when battling bedbug infestations. The average temperature for killing bedbugs is 140 degrees Fahrenheit, which is 45 degrees Celsius. However, higher temperatures will kill bedbugs faster. At this temperature, it takes 94.8 minutes for an adult bedbug to die.
The temperature at which bedbugs die is dependent on how long they are exposed to the temperature. The temperature range is 45 degC for an unfed adult and 54.8 degrees for an adult. Using these temperatures as guidelines, a bedbug infestation can be controlled successfully without causing damage to the occupants’ property.
A study by Joelle F. Olson shows that bedbugs freeze-intolerant, but not completely. In addition to measuring their freezing point, the researchers also looked at the feeding ability of the bugs. The results showed that an exposure of 3.2 degrees Fahrenheit for eighty hours killed 100 percent of the bugs, although some were able to survive a much shorter exposure.
Other studies suggest that a temperature of 111.2 degrees Fahrenheit will kill bedbugs, while an exposure at 113 degrees Fahrenheit will kill most adult bed bugs in as little as seven minutes. In both studies, the temperature increase was rapid, but the tests were conducted in a controlled laboratory setting. The temperature thresholds that are considered lethal to bed bugs may differ from those that are effective for whole-room heat treatment.
