As the wind begins to whip off the Mississippi River and the temperatures drop across Lee County, many Fort Madison residents breathe a sigh of relief. We often think that a bitter Iowa freeze will solve our pest problems for us.
It is a common local belief that a few nights of sub-zero temperatures will naturally kill off indoor pests. However, when it comes to the most stubborn bugs in our community, the cold is rarely the solution we hope it will be.
If you are currently dealing with an itchy situation, you might be searching for professional bed bug control services nearby to handle the problem before it gets out of hand.
The Survival Skills of Fort Madison Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are surprisingly tough. They have lived alongside humans for thousands of years and have learned how to survive. While they do not like the cold, they do not simply die the moment the frost hits the ground.
Instead, they have a unique survival trick. When it gets cold, their bodies slow down. They enter a state of deep sleep where they stop moving and eating. In this state, they can survive for a very long time without any food at all.
In a typical Fort Madison home, the indoor air stays nice and warm even when it is snowing outside. Because bed bugs live inside mattresses and behind baseboards, they are shielded from the Iowa winter.
They are basically enjoying the same heater that you and your family use to stay warm. As long as your house is comfortable for you, it is a perfect place for bed bugs to hide. They simply wait for the warmth to return or for a meal to walk by.
The Myth of the Open Window
Some local homeowners try to save money by turning off the furnace and opening the windows during a cold snap. While this will make your bedroom feel like an icebox, it is rarely enough to kill the bugs.
To actually freeze bed bugs to death, the temperature must stay below zero degrees for several days in a row. Even then, the cold has to reach deep into the tiny cracks where the bugs hide.
Our homes in Fort Madison are built to be sturdy and well-insulated. This insulation keeps the heat trapped inside the walls. This means the bugs stay just warm enough to survive.
By the time you get a room cold enough to hurt the pests, you might end up with frozen water pipes. That is a very expensive mistake. Usually, the bed bugs just wake up and start biting again as soon as you turn the heat back on.
Hitchhiking Through the Lee County Winter
Bed bugs do not live outside in the Lee County snow; instead, they stay close to people. Since we spend more time indoors during the winter at places like the library or local shops, these pests have more chances to crawl onto coats and bags.
They use your own body heat to stay warm while hitchhiking from a cold car into your house. A quick trip across town is not enough to freeze them, so they easily spread from one Fort Madison home to another, regardless of the temperature outside.
Iowa’s cold is not enough to kill bed bugs, but professional heat treatments work. Experts use special heaters to reach every hiding spot, killing bugs and eggs instantly.
Do not wait for a freeze that will not come. Pointe Pest Solutions, now partnered with Pointe Commercial Services, offers expert local help to keep Fort Madison homes pest-free.