Does freezing kill bed bugs? Maybe not.
Some pest control operators use freezing to kill bed bugs on contact, but recent studies show that this method may not be as reliable as many previously hoped.
In just the past few days we’ve seen the following freezing kill bed bugs reports:
Bed Bugs can Survive Frost but Cold Can Still Kill Them | Entomological Society of America (ESA)
This isn’t cool: Freezing bedbugs may not kill them after all
Bedbugs Can Withstand Bitter Cold: Study
To the Cold, Bed Bugs Say ‘Bite Me’
Wintertime Warriors: Cockroaches and Bed Bugs Found to Tolerate Cold Weather
What studies revealed, is that freezing will eventually kill bed bugs but it could take several days to work. To be completely effective, it takes at least 80 hours of temperatures at 3.2 degrees Fahrenheit or lower.
Freezing Kill Bed Bugs: Placing Items in the Freezer
Some people place bed bug infested items into the freezer. Keep in mind that if you are going to try this method, you need to leave items in the freezer for at least two to four days depending on the temperature of your freezer.
Freezing Kill Bed Bugs: Why are bed bugs so resilient to freezing temperatures?
According to the Entomological Society of America (ESA),
Bed bugs, like many other insects, use a “freeze-intolerant” strategy against the cold, meaning they attempt to protect themselves from freeze injury by lowering the freezing point of their body fluids. For this study, the researchers evaluated the supercooling point (SCP) and the lower lethal temperature (LLT) for all life stages of bed bugs, as well as their potential to feed after exposure to sublethal temperatures.
For more information about bed bugs, visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s bed bugs FAQs web page.
Free Bed Bug Consultation
Are you considering the freezing kill bed bugs method? If so, contact Titanium Laboratories for a free bed bug consultation.
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