Yes, they are. These parasites are active in conditions as low as 41 degrees Fahrenheit! They may seem like they are not active during the winter months. But bed bugs can stay alive in your bedding or on bed frames for about one year. That means that they are still there during the winter months.
Some of them may not move around much for most of the year. But they are still living under your mattress. Remember that bed bugs can live in any season. They prefer warmth and will often live near heat sources like heating units or bedding materials.
Preferred Temperature for Bed Bugs
The bed bugs’ preferred temperature range is between 86 and 96 degrees Fahrenheit. But they can live in conditions as low as 41 degrees Fahrenheit. They will hide in your bedding or cracks during the colder months to stay alive!
When bed bugs hide for an extended period, they become less active and may not move around much. But forget them and their eggs when you want to get rid of them. They will remain alive even when they are not moving around much!
Bed Bugs Have Been Found in Different Countries
You can find bed bugs wherever in the world! They live in countries like Canada, Afghanistan, Australia, and countries across Europe. The seasons do not matter to these bugs. Even though bed bugs may seem inactive during the winter, they are still there waiting to bite you! Exterminate these parasites at all times of the year!
Winter Issues with Bed Bugs
Winter is the time when bed bugs are the most inactive. These bugs may die in very frigid conditions! But you may not become aware of them unless you see them moving around. That means anyone in your home can unknowingly bring their eggs inside.
When bed bugs do not move for a prolonged period during the winter, it is more difficult to get rid of them. It can get hard for you to determine their activity during the winter months. That means you may not treat them at the right time of year.
As bed bugs are active during the winter months, there are issues with all of their control methods. Excluding or trying to kill them in this cold season may not work well. They will still become alive and waiting for you! Treat them at any time of the year to make sure they are gone!
Bed Bug Prevention Tips for Home and Traveling
Since bed bugs are more of a problem during the winter months, your home or travel plans may not be that relaxing. There are several things you can do to prevent them from getting into your bed. Keep them out of your bedding by putting everything in sealed bags while you are gone on vacation. Use bed bug sprays around your bedding and bed frames before you come back from a trip.
You can also keep bed bugs out of your bedding by changing it regularly. Wash it often with hot water to kill any of them present. Consider using encasements on pillows, mattresses, and box springs to prevent them from getting into these. Just remember they can become active during the winter months!
Tips to Protect Your Home from Bed Bugs
Enlighten yourself with 10 tips on how to safeguard your temporary or permanent residence from bed bugs. Below is a guide:
Check Hotel for Signs of Bed Bug Infestation
Check for bed bugs before making your bed in a hotel. You can see clues of infestation easily on bedsheets and mattresses. Look for fresh bloodstains as compared to the rust-brown color of old ones. Your bedding and luggage would become a haven for them.
Inspect Your Mattress Before Sleeping on It
Search your mattress before sleeping on it for bed bugs. Not all are visible so look closely with a flashlight or detector. You can also touch a piece of white tissue paper over the mattress surface. See them when feces go to the tissue paper.
Do a Thorough Inspection of Your Bedroom and Rest Areas
Bed bugs are hard to spot. So do a complete inspection of your bed area and any other furniture in your bedroom. You need a detector or a watcher for this.
Travel with Duffel Bags instead of Suitcases
A duffel bag is a good bed bug repellant while traveling. Keep it with you at all times and keep food items in them mostly. Safeguard your bedding in them as well. This will keep you free of bed bugs most of the time.
Bed Bug Detectors for Your Bags
Use bed bug detectors in your luggage before placing bedding or clothing inside. They should help you determine these bugs by spotting their activity or feces.
Research the Hotel You Are Staying at
Do some bed bug research on hotels before booking a stay there. Look for reviews online about these bugs being present in that area and hotel. Ask the front desk about bed bug reports at the hotel.
Wash Everything after The Trip
Wash everything immediately after returning home! This includes your bedding and luggage. Soak them in hot water and dry them on high heat. Kill bed bugs inside bedding and luggage that you bring back.
It is difficult to let these bugs go away! But luckily for you, a solution exists. Use bleach when possible because this will kill them on contact! Just be careful not to allow it to come into direct contact with the fabric. Otherwise, burn marks or worse may appear.
Bed bugs’ weakness is extreme heat, which can occur with dryers and washing machines. Crank up the temperature in your home’s laundry room. Kill any bed bugs that may have made their way into this space!
Use Bed Bugs Proof Bags for Bed Springs and Mattress
Put bedbug-proof bags around your bedsprings and mattresses. A barrier will help stop them from crawling out of the mattress each night when you have them. This can also keep them from getting into your bedding or other furniture pieces that are near the bed.
The bed bugs will find a way to get into your bedding regardless of the season. Stop them from getting into bed with you during any time of year.
You may have been wondering, “are bed bugs active during winter months?” The answer is yes! Try all you want to keep them away! Keep them out of your bed and away from your skin.
Vacuum Carpets and Rags
Vacuum carpets and bedding at least once each week. You might have missed bed bugs during your initial inspection of the home. Use a vacuum with strong suction so they are easier to remove from upholstery, bedding, bed springs, mattresses, couches, and so on.
Dispose of Vacuum Bag Immediately
Dispose of vacuum bags immediately after use. Do this in a sealed plastic bag outside the house. Keep bed bugs from getting inside and then back into your bedding.
Put duct tape on bed bug traps throughout your home to stop them! This is before they have a chance to climb onto your bedding or bedframes.
Before Secondhand Furniture
Check for bed bugs before bringing bedding, furniture, and rugs infested with them into your home. They can easily find their way onto your bedding once you start sleeping there again. Coat bedsprings and bed frames in bed bug spray before you bring them to your bed. This can help keep these bugs from climbing into your bedding.
Avoid bringing bedding into the home that other people used to sleep on it. You never know what kind of bed bugs could appear inside or how they may have procreated.
Bed bugs are pests that you can find in any home. They will enter your bedding regardless of the season or weather conditions outside. Use detectors to protect your bed from these harmful insects.
Inspect New Clothing
inspect your new clothing for bed bugs before bringing it into your home. You should check before putting them in your closet. Wash all new clothing in hot water to kill bed bugs easily! Cover up using a mosquito net when sleeping outdoors during the summer months.
Look at any unusual stains when trying on clothing. These could indicate blood spots that feeding bed bugs left. Pause before purchasing an entire outfit or even one item from the pile. Inspect carefully inside seams for signs that these creatures like to hide.
Examples are their white eggs, shed skins, and live ones. The latter looks almost invisible without magnification because they are so small. See along with shoulder straps since those areas often accumulate bug casualties first before anyone else washes them.
Reduce Clutter
Remove clutter infested with bed bugs from your home as soon as possible. This will make it easier to see which areas they are coming from and going to. Seal them in a container to stop them from spreading.
Bed bugs will also look for hiding spots during the winter months. They can appear anywhere on bedding and bed frames during these seasons. Clean beddings more often to reduce total bed bug populations.
People who have a problem with clutter are at higher risk for an infestation! Hoarders are individuals that suffer from extreme habits. They do not know how to deal with it in their homes. It often leads them into serious situations like bed bug outbreaks. Stockpiled or repetitively stored items are not disposed of properly.
Check Your Coats
Remove bed bugs and their eggs from your coats and hats before bringing them inside. You can do this at the door or outside on a covered surface. Put these items in the dryer on high heat! That is when you cannot find these bugs stuck to them. Get rid of them quickly!
Inspect all coats in your closet along with any dark corners where the carpet meets the wall. Throw out anything dirty or used like old clothes. They can easily put bed bugs inside and bring them home to your bedding.
Use Essential Oils
Use some bed bug essential oils when these bugs start to crawl over your bedding. A vacuum applied with the oil will then pick them up and collect their dead bodies. Combine it with diatomaceous earth that kills bed bugs naturally. It dehydrates them instead of using harmful chemicals. This will keep your bedding safe.
You can find bed bug essential oils at any bedding store to use with your vacuum cleaner. Look for them in bottles or containers that are dark like glass or plastic. Talk to an employee about the options you have to prevent bed bugs from crawling onto your bedding inside.
Are Bed Bugs Dormant In Winter?
Bed bugs remain active all year round! However, they become less visible during the winter months. The reason they tend to hide more during this time is that your bedding will become dryer and it is colder outside. They have a tough time staying alive in colder temperatures just like you do!
It is common for bed bugs to appear less frequently during this season. This especially applies to those living inside warmer houses. They would normally become more active in the southern regions of America!
At What Temperature
Bed bugs die in temperatures below -5 degrees Celsius. They are an ectothermic species. This means they cannot regulate their body temperature without some help from you. It also means that they will need to dig deeper into your bedding. They have to find the warmth they require during these winter months.
Will bed bugs seek out cozy areas on your bedding?
The bed bugs start crawling around during the winter months. They will still search for a place to hide when it gets too cold outside. You might find them underneath your pillow or under your wallet on the nightstand. Look carefully at every dark corner of your bedding.
First Response Bed Bug Dogs Pest Control Solutions
First Response Bedbug Dogs can bring you an effective bed bug detection service with the amazing nose of a canine. The handler and team will confirm and pinpoint any infestation for your convenience. Just call or schedule online! It is fast, discreet, and proven 98% accurate in findings. It has never been easier than this!
It can take quite a bit to kill bed bugs when temperatures are low. The reason for this is because they are more tolerant of cold than heat. They also hide in items where their body may protect them from winds or very chilly air.
