Do Bed Bugs Go Away In the Winter?

Just like other pests, bed bugs thrive throughout the winter months.

They’re tough to catch and even more difficult to kill, and they’re capable of multiplying rapidly. You’re likely to find your problems returning next year if you chalky routine doesn’t keep up with what works.

Here are some tips for how to beat the winter blues and keep bedbugs at bay. So, do bed bugs go away in the winter?

Bed bugs don’t hibernate during the winter so don’t think that you can just forget about them until spring rolls around. Instead, you should approach the problem like it’s any other pest and battle them with vigilance and diligence throughout the cold months.

Here are a few tips for how you should approach winter bedbug control to ensure that you don’t have a repeat problem next year.

Let’s dive in now!

Do Bed Bugs Go Away In the Winter?

Bed bugs do not actually hibernate during the winter months but they survive just fine during the cold months.

Bugs do not hibernate, so they do not go away for the winter.

Rather of sleeping over the winter, most bugs and insects enter a dormant state where they are less active and less able to survive in the face of the cold.

While many bothersome summer pests, such as flies, gnats, and mosquitoes, tend to retreat for the winter and do in fact die out during the winter, many bugs, including bed bugs and ants.

Bed bugs flourish inside a house in the winter months and can actually become more active in colder weather.

In fact, they may be very busy throughout the winter months and may make their move indoors to nest inside your house when the weather turns cool outside.

So, if you’ve discovered bed bugs in the colder months of the year and you see signs of them still making nests in your home throughout the winter months, then you will have to address this problem immediately and aggressively.

To have the problem treated straightway and for good, then you’ll want to speak with one or more bed bug treatment specialists in your area about how you can get rid of your bed bug problem once and for all.

Do Bed Bugs Hibernate?

No, bed bugs don’t hibernate, but they can survive the cold very well.

Bed bugs may enter what scientists call “diapause” – a hibernation-like state where they don’t grow or reproduce and they can essentially sleep throughout the cold seasons.

Bed bugs are more quiescent than anything during these “cold” times and can basically survive for months or years on end without feeding or reproducing as long as they’re kept safe from insecticides and heat.

Because bed bugs do not dwell outdoors and they don’t have wings like the flying insects do, then you cannot find them outdoors unless they’re accidentally brought in on your clothing.

Diapause is feasible because they feed on living, warm-blooded hosts like humans or bats, which provide them with enough warmth and nourishment to keep them from freezing and ensuring their chances of survival until the warmer.

What Temperatures Do Bed Bugs Like?

Bed bugs are fonder of the temperatures we humans prefer which is anywhere between 70 and 88 degrees Fahrenheit.

Furthermore, these insects will flourish in your home if you maintain a temperature of around 80 degrees Fahrenheit or warmer.

Does Cold Kill Bed Bugs?

Cold temperatures if harsh can slow them down, but bed bugs can hibernate in the coldest of temperatures, which is why you don’t need to worry about them freezing to death.

Bed bugs can die if they are exposed to extremely cold temperatures and then return to a warmer place; unbearable temperatures won’t kill them outright, but they can cause their metabolism to slow down.

Female adult bed bugs, according to entomologists typically lay around three-hundred eggs in a lifetime which is enough for them to survive for over six months without feeding themselves.

Female adult bed bugs have a supercooling point which is the temperature that can freeze them if exposed to it for a long period of time.

Although bed bugs can live in cold temperatures, the article also mentions that bed bugs find it difficult to feed themselves if the temperatures are too low.

Is It True That Bed Bugs Are Active During The Winter?

Bed bugs will lay eggs in cracks or crevices of your mattress, box spring and headboards if the conditions are suitable enough for them to thrive.

They are not only active throughout winter but also during the warmer months as well and typically emerge during the evening hours.

It’s possible the bed bugs are dormant and hiding in your bed until the temperature rises.

As you travel more bed bugs will also move into your home especially if you are visiting a hotel or cafe where bed bugs are crawling around.

Additionally, if you have college-aged children that frequently visit their friends’ homes you might be at risk for becoming infested simply by their visits which leave crumbs and unsanitary conditions in your home.

Also Read: Can Bed Bugs Survive In Cold Temperatures?

How Can You Prevent Bed Bugs From Spreading in the Winter?

• Examine the room for bed bugs before settling in.
• Inspect the bed and inspect all nooks and crannies for signs of bed bugs before lying down to sleep.
• Do not leave your suitcase or clothing on the pillow or bed while sleeping.
• Keep your suitcase or clothing off the floor when unpacking.
• Leave your luggage unpacked and do not place it on the bed or floor.
• Use a luggage cover while carrying your luggage, and keep all luggage away from walls to avoid contact with bed bugs or their eggs.
• Unpack your luggage, clothing and beddings immediately and wash all clothing in hot water to kill any bed bugs that may be hiding in or on the clothing and beddings.
• Before doing so, check the whole room, especially the bathroom for evidence of bed bugs.
• If you do not want an infestation of bed bugs in your home and do not want an infestation of bed bugs at a hotel room or home visit, be sure to follow all of these instructions to prevent the introduction and spread of bed bugs.
• This will ensure that you do not stay in a hotel or room with bed bugs, and instead, go somewhere that you have complete control over to prevent an infestation at that location.
• Baggage can be safely stored in a protective cover or sealed plastic bag and stored off the floor or in a dresser drawer.
• Unpacking your baggage after a vacation can increase the likelihood of an infestation in your luggage.
• Before you put them back inside storage, give them a long look, especially around corners and seams.
• Washing all of clothes in hot temperature after vacation can wash away bed bug eggs that are hidden in the seams and corners of the clothes.

Conclusion

So, do bed bugs go away in the winter? No! Winter is bed bugs’ prime time, so it’s important to take the proper steps now to ensure that you don’t have a repeat issue next year.

With careful attention to prevention, proper use of pesticides, and diligent monitoring, you can ensure that your home is free of bed bugs this winter and for years to come!