When winter finally settles in, we tend to notice a significant decrease in insect activity. Wasps, ants and other insects which wreaked havoc in the summer months will either die off or find a warm place to spend the winter indoors. Where you find bed bugs, you will find humans. So what do they do during the winter? Do they disappear too?

Not quite. In fact, despite the mercury in your thermometer plummeting, you might not see much difference. In today’s article, we’re going to look at whether or not you see more bed bugs in winter. We’ll look at how the cold affects these blood-sucking pests and why you can’t afford to let your guard down. Truly Nolen can help deal with your bed bug issues no matter the season.

Do We See More Bed Bugs in Winter?

We can’t categorically say that you’re seeing more or fewer bed bugs in winter because it will largely depend on where you live and whether or not your home is already infested. In general though, you’re unlikely to see more bed bugs come wintertime. In fact, these tiny pests may actually become even more difficult to spot.

Bed bugs are hard to find at the best of times. They spend their days hiding in hard-to-reach places and wait for human hosts to fall asleep at night. They could be hiding in the springs of your mattress, or in the cracks and crevices of other items of furniture.

When the temperatures drop, bed bugs become less active. Their metabolism becomes slower and in general, everything will slow down for them. They’ll breed far less frequently because they’re trying to preserve energy, and in extremely cold conditions they’ll even enter a form of hibernation. But that’s not to say that bed bugs aren’t still a problem in winter. 

Don’t Let Your Guard Down

Bed bugs are an indoor pest – where you find bed bugs, you will find humans. These small, reddish-brown insects feed primarily off human blood. If you keep your home warm for your own comfort in winter, then bed bugs will benefit from that too.

If those bed bugs are already inside your home, then they won’t face the cold temperatures known to be lethal for them (that’s around 0°F by the way). The colder temperatures aren’t ideal for them, but they’ll survive without a problem. With colder temperatures they’ll also be less dehydrated, so they’ll need to feed less frequently. Bed bugs that still have access to all the meals they need (that would be you), will have a good chance of surviving winter.

One noticeable change in bed bugs during winter is that they’ll become less likely to spread. In peak summer months bed bugs will be at their strongest and will hitchhike their way to new locations, starting new infestations wherever they can. In winter, they’ll stay put and wait for the warmer weather to return. Exposure to cold temperatures on their journey could prove fatal.

Call Truly Nolen Today

Bed bugs are notoriously difficult to get rid of, and unfortunately, their numbers are on the rise worldwide. So much so, that many experts believe there’s currently something of a bed bug ‘epidemic’.

It’s important that you inspect your home for any bed bug infestations. If you do find the blood-thirsty insects, call Truly Nolen as soon as you can. We’re the pest control experts and we’ll be able to remove them for you quickly and safely. Our Four Season’s approach ensures that we know how best to tackle the pests in every season. That way, you’ll be able to get a good night’s sleep with one less winter worry.