Bed Bugs In Winter? They're Still Active! Here's How To Spot & Stop Them This Season

Escaping the cold with a vacation or hosting loved ones this season can be a delight, but there may be a tiny hitchhiker nobody wants tagging along—bed bugs.

Unlike outdoor pests like mosquitos that bite or sting, bed bugs can thrive year-round. They live indoors and have no problem being active in a home that feels like spring or summer. And bed bugs spread during winter.

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When not feeding, bed bugs hide in a variety of places. Around the bed, they can be found near the piping, seams and tags of the mattress and box spring, and in cracks on the bed frame and headboard.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, if the room is heavily infested, you may find bed bugs:

In the seams of chairs and couches, between cushions, in the folds of curtains.
In drawer joints.
In electrical receptacles and appliances.
Under loose wall paper and wall hangings.
At the junction where the wall and the ceiling meet.
Even in the head of a screw.

These pests can spread from one location to another, unaffected by winter temps. They climb into belongings people carry around and lay their eggs before starting a new infestation. Even if they're outside during the travels, it takes a lot to kill a bed bug in the cold.

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When cleaning, changing bedding, or staying away from home, the EPA says to look for:

Rusty or reddish stains on bed sheets or mattresses caused by bed bugs being crushed.
Small dark spots, which are bed bug excrement and may bleed on the fabric like a marker would.
Eggs and eggshells, which are tiny (about 1mm) and pale yellow skins that nymphs shed as they grow larger.
Live bed bugs.

Freezing infested items at extreme temperatures can help control the spread of bed bugs. Just make sure these items can handle the kitchen freezer and keep them inside for at least four days.

This method has its limitations however. It's impractical for large or fragile objects, and the frozen items can become re-infested. For lasting results, professional pest control is the best solution.

Snuggle up this winter worry-free & leave it to the pros at AB Pest to treat those pesky hitchhikers!