Do Bed Bugs Hibernate in the Winter?

by | Jan 17, 2023 | Bed Bugs | 0 comments

Do Bed Bugs Hibernate in the Winter?

If you have bed bugs, you won’t constantly see them moving around or leaving trails like the ants you find in your kitchen or bathroom. When a host is nearby during feeding time, they leave their living quarters. These Bed bugs sense the CO2 that is emitted from a live host. Instead of residing on your skin or in your hair after eating, they return to their hiding places.

Bed Bugs in Winter

In this winter season, some of you might be wondering about bed bugs. But what happens to bed bugs? Do they all die? Or do they go for a hibernation period?

It is observed throughout the year that the bed bugs are quite stubborn but temperature variations can kill them. In freezing temperatures, these bed bugs often die but also will proceed to survive and find warm locations to live. Hence, why your home becomes a good option for survival.

What is the Temperature Required for Survival?

The temperature required by bed bugs is similar to what we as humans prefer. In the same way, they want to live at a moderate temperature. This suggests that they never need a hibernation period in winter but just a closed and protected environment.

Does the Cold Affect their Survival?

The Bed bugs can eventually die if the temperature goes below 0°F. The lower the temperature, the less time is needed to kill bed bugs. Freezers set to 0°F are effective in killing bed bugs, but the things you are freezing must be left in the freezer for at least 4 days. In light of this, bed bugs favor warm, damp surroundings. According to studies, it is said that a female bed bug is able to produce 1-6 baby bugs within 1-7 days.

She’ll then need to eat again in order to lay new eggs. A bed bug population can multiply within very few days due to the high number of eggs a female can lay when conditions are ideal (temperatures >70°F but 90°F, and the presence of a host). When the correct circumstances exist, bed bugs can grow very quickly.

We know that leaving your items in a freezer for 4 days is not ideal, as it is not even possible to bring this as a solution for your home. Our Heat Treatment is the best, most flexible option for your Edmonton bed bug problems.

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Do Bed Bugs Hibernate?

  • The simple answer to this question is No. Bed bugs do not hibernate. Instead, they transform themselves into a much-preserved state that is said to be the diapause* that was described above.
  • In this time period, they prefer to make themselves resilient enough to combat the future life phases. They keep feeding themselves on the hosts while avoiding the cold.

*Diapause is something that is needed only when they need to survive. It is defined by Oxford Dictionary as a period of suspended development in an insect, other invertebrates, or mammal embryo, especially during unfavorable environmental conditions.

That’s the only plan they have to save themselves in order to become active again. To put it simply they go for a vacation period which is not similar to hibernation.