Do Bed Bugs Die With Cold?
WouterWhen the temperature drops, bedbugs usually don’t migrate. They tend to stay indoors because they don’t like the cold. However, cold temperatures can kill the bugs. In Ohio, two days a year reach minus 13 degrees Fahrenheit, but even those temperatures are not lethal for bedbugs. They still die, but not as quickly as they would if exposed to higher temperatures.
Some people are skeptical of the effectiveness of freezing to kill bedbugs. Although freezing temperatures kill the bugs and their eggs, they may damage other valuable items in the home. In addition, it’s not safe to leave items out in the cold in winter. To be safe, cover these items with plastic.
Another method to kill bedbugs is to freeze them in their packages. The process is simple, but you should make sure to put them in the coldest part of the freezer. If possible, use a chest-style freezer. This type of freezer is suitable for large items like comforters, books, framed pictures, toys, and so on. You should avoid placing anything with liquid in the freezer, such as a bottle of perfume or a bottle of ice-cream.
Bedbugs can survive colder temperatures, but they do not hibernate like bears. They enter a phase of diapause, or semi-hibernation, which allows them to go without feeding for months. Bedbugs will remain in this state until the temperature increases. However, extreme cold will kill these insects.
