You might try to kill bed bugs by drowning them. And even after hours, they were alive. Killing them through this way isn’t impossible but takes a lot of time and depends upon some factors which we will discuss further.
The time taken by an adult to die in water is shorter than their eggs. That’s why Steam Cleaning is the most effective way to get rid of them.
Take a look at Best Steam Cleaners that kills Bed Bugs Completely!
Do Bed Bugs Drown in water
Drowning of bed bugs depends upon the situation. However, if their surface tension get unbalanced or their bodyweight gets heavy, then the chances of sinking increases. According to recent experiments, the majority of drowned bed bugs die in 24 hours whereas the rest of them takes a few more hours.
Well, they are flat and lightweight pests. If the water movement is slow or nearly nill, then they can easily float in water initially.
But anyhow if the surface of water gets disturbed, it will unbalance their surface tension and eventually bed bugs will drown.
If the water is hot up to 150 F, chances of their survival drop in the large amount. The high temperature of water instantly creates critical conditions for them. That’s why using a steamer for killing bed bugs is the best and safest way.
They get burn, loss control over them and eventually free fall under the water. Without oxygen, they start suffocating and died. However, this takes some time.
Do bed bugs drink water
Bed bugs don’t like water at all neither they directly drink it. However, they fulfill their body water level requirements through human blood. On average, 92% of our body contains water and the rest 8% plasma proteins. So, in every bite, they get enough water to survive.
Like any living organism, they also need it in blood tissues, cells to maintain their body temperature and for the proper working of other functionalities.
A lack of water can dry them. But it takes a long time. Few scientific experiments show that without feed bed bugs can live for 1 year.
However, the amount of water that bugs needed is very less as compared to other beings. They can live alive for days without it.
Can Bed Bugs swim in the water
No, bed bugs can’t swim but they can float in some conditions for a long time. However, they use their tiny legs to move slowly while floating.
But, once you dipped them under the water it’s almost impossible for them to come back until there is a rough surface.
They can climb back slowly due to rough surfaces. It establishes a good grip between the surface and the bugs.
Floating of bed bugs depends upon these conditions:
- Surface Tension
- Movement of water
- Weight of their body
- Temperature of water
The above conditions can keep them floating and alive. Unfortunately, this cannot kill them in anyhow.
But, it will be fatal for bugs if the water is heated at least 117 F. They will not die quickly but will die in hours, it doesn’t matter whether they are drowned or not.
Can bed bugs survive in the washing machine
Yes, they can survive through a few cycles of the washing machine. But most of them might be dying due to heat as we know bugs can’t tolerate it.
According to one laboratory research, if the washing machine water is heated up to 140F then all the bugs( adult, nymphs and their eggs) will die in the 30min cycle.
But washing in 100F of water will kill all the adults and nymphs but only kill 25% of eggs.
Also, if we washed in little warm water then very few percents of bugs will die.
Leaving clothes for soaking in cold water without detergent for 24 hours can kill some adult and nymphs but won’t affect the eggs.
That’s why the dry method is an appropriate way of killing bugs. If by anyway bed bugs enter inside your home appliances where standard size commercial steam cleaner can’t reach, you can use these Handheld Bed Bugs Steamers to kill them.
Can Bed Bugs live Outside
You might try to stop Bed Bugs from entering your house? But I’m sure it didn’t work.
Because bed bugs can’t live outside in grasses, bushes or anywhere.
These things can’t feed them blood. They need it to survive that’s why bed bugs live in the houses with us.
They can be anywhere, under your pillow, in your clothes, bathroom, bed, sofas, etc.
Also, sunlight heats up the outside environment which creates fatal situations for bugs.
This will start drying their body and they run towards shadows. Bugs travel mostly in the night, as it is their right time to hunt.
Does Bed Bugs die in winter
Bugs can’t tolerate cold conditions for a long time. Of course, bed bugs can die in winter. However, it takes more time and continuous cold temperatures ( 0 F or Below ) to kill them in winter.
Female adult bed bugs have a higher freezing point than male ones. They need a minimum -4F to freeze.
From the report of last year’s test, it’s clear that in winter bed bugs take up to 80 hours to die. This is only possible when the environment is below or equal to 0F. As compared to hot conditions, they take 5 times more time to die.
As the temperature getting down, they enter a hibernation state. So, they are alive but can’t move and bite.
While staying for a prolonged in a hibernation state, their body tissues stop working and eventually they die.
Reducing the temperature in the middle will get them out of this state.
Do Bed Bugs bite your scalp
The scalp has the thickest skin of the human body. Bed Bugs have the capability for biting such thick skin but practically they can’t do it. Because they don’t have crawling abilities in your hair.
Anyhow if the get in touch with such an area, then they won’t stick there for a long time. Because bugs prefer a cooler environment and at the scalp, they get human body heat.
They probably bite on arms, hands, and legs. Even the bite is unnoticeable for us. You will come to know about it when the area gets red. However, after feeding bed bugs lays eggs.
As they don’t live on our body so you don’t need to worry about beg bugs eggs on your body. The egg size is nearly equal to one grain of sugar.
Have you personally tried to drown bed bugs in a glass jar with water inside up to some one inch from the top – that should be empirical evidence on the drowning or non-drowning of bed bugs in water.
Or do you know of such empirical experiments done by scienitists in a lab?
Hey Marius,
Yes, we personally tried it. Our team took two jars, and fill the one with ice cubes and the second one with ordinary water. Even after 4 days, they didn’t die.
You’ll find a lot of experiments done on bed bugs, on google.
I hope that you won’t stop writing such interesting articles. I’m waiting for more of your content. It’s so good that i’m going follow you!
Glad to hear it 🙂