What Temperature do Bed Bugs Freeze at?
It is a given that bed bugs die in all stages of their life when exposed to high heat. However, you may ask if bed bugs freeze at a certain temperature. Can these pesky critters die in cold temperatures?
If you are planning to treat the pests using freezing cold temperatures, you should know that the treatment will only be effective if the temperature reaches -17.8 degrees Celsius and lower. Whenever they encounter such temperatures, bed bugs will typically enter hibernation, which will only increase their chance of survival. This allows them to gain a high tolerance for the cold. Short term exposure may not kill them, but they will die eventually as you expose them to cold temperatures for longer hours.
Will the Temperature During Winter Control Bed Bugs?
Relying on the colder temperatures during the winter season is not enough. Most states experience the lowest temperature at a few degrees below zero, which is not enough to kill bed bugs. It will not work as you expect, as your home is most likely insulated, and the temperature will remain at a certain cool level and won’t reach a freezing point.
Since they can still feel your body temperature, they will most likely survive and feed on you despite the colder weather. Knowing how to take advantage of cold temperatures will allow you to use an additional treatment to kill these critters. As with other treatments it will take time, but doing it the right way will eliminate the bugs slowly but surely.
Freezing Bed Bugs: How to Do it Effectively
For a freeze treatment to be effective and to completely wipe out clusters of bed bugs along with their eggs and nymphs, the temperature should remain at -17.8°C or lower for about 80 hours. Though you may notice that the climate can reach the coldest possible temperature, it doesn’t guarantee that bed bugs will die if you leave your items outside. Outdoor weather fluctuates throughout the day, which makes it impossible to kill these bed bugs.
The same goes for putting infested items in a plastic bag and placing all of them in the freezer. Ensure that the temperature stays below -17.8°C and keep all items inside the freezer for a minimum of 80 hours. This will effectively kill them as it exceeds the point of their bodily temperature.
Previous studies have shown that cold temperatures can possibly kill the bugs after an average of one hour. However, new research shows that this is not the case. Cold temperatures can kill bed bugs, but only after being exposed for a few days.
