How Is It That Some Bed Bugs Survive The Freezing -30 celsius?

The short answer is the duration left in the cold.

If you’re dealing with a bed bug infestation, you want them gone—ASAP. While there are countless methods of dealing with bed bugs, one that stands out and is commonly repeated is freezing. But can extreme cold, as low as -30°C (-22°F), actually kill bed bugs and stop the infestation? The answer is yes—but only if done correctly.

Bed bugs are highly resilient and annoying pests that have developed mechanisms to withstand extreme cold. While freezing can kill them, their survival depends on several factors, including temperature and mainly the exposure time (the time they spent in the cold).

Scientific studies like this one from the Journal of Economic Entomology, Volume 106 show that bed bugs can survive temperatures as low as -16°C (3.2°F) for up to 80 hours and -20°C (-4°F) for around 48 hours. However, at -30°C (-22°F), bed bugs die within 24 hours. Despite these findings, many factors influence their ability to endure freezing conditions.

One of the reasons bed bugs can tolerate these extremely cold temperature is their ability to lower the freezing point of their body fluids. This adaptation, known as supercooling, allows them to avoid ice crystal formation, which would otherwise cause fatal cellular damage. Bed bug eggs are even more resistant to cold, with some surviving short-term exposure to temperatures as low as -25°C (-13°F).

Another survival strategy is their ability to seek insulated hiding spots. Bed bugs burrow deep into furniture, walls, clothing, and other protected areas where temperatures remain higher than the surrounding air. This natural insulation shields them from direct exposure to lethal cold conditions, allowing some to survive even in freezing environments.

While freezing temperatures can kill bed bugs, home freezers and natural winter conditions may not always be effective due to inconsistent temperature regulation. To effectively eliminate bed bugs with freezing, exposure must be prolonged and the temperature must remain consistently below -18°C (0°F) for at least 4 days. In most cases, alternative treatments such as heat exposure above 50°C (122°F) can be much more effective on your furniture or professional extermination methods provide more reliable results in eradicating infestations.

Can Cold Kill Bed Bugs?

Yes, but bed bugs are highly resilient. While extreme cold can kill them, they can survive low temperatures by hiding in insulated areas. To effectively kill bed bugs, you must expose them to freezing conditions long enough to penetrate their hiding places.

For freezing to work, temperatures must remain consistently low for an extended period. A sudden cold drop won’t kill an infestation!

Bed Bug Eggs Are More Resistant to Cold Than Adults

While freezing can kill bed bugs, bed bug eggs are significantly more resistant to extreme cold than adult bugs. Research shows that bed bug eggs can survive short-term exposure to temperatures as low as -25°C (-13°F). This means that freezing alone may not kill all eggs, allowing infestations to persist even after treatment