Arizona is known for intense summer temperatures, so it is reasonable to wonder whether bed bugs can actually survive the heat. If temperatures outside are climbing into the triple digits, shouldn’t that be enough to kill pests hiding inside your home?
Unfortunately, Arizona’s hot weather does not automatically eliminate bed bugs. These pests are surprisingly resilient, and outside temperatures are very different from the controlled, sustained heat needed to kill bed bugs throughout an infestation.
Arizona Summers Are Hot, but Your Home Is Not
Even during the hottest months of the year, most Arizona homes are air-conditioned and provide plenty of cooler hiding places. Bed bugs can tuck themselves into mattresses, bed frames, upholstered furniture, baseboards, cracks, electrical outlets, and other protected areas.
Those surprising places bed bugs can hide may remain much cooler than the temperature outside. A hot afternoon in Phoenix or Tucson does not mean the bugs hiding deep inside a couch, wall crevice, or mattress are experiencing the same heat.
How Hot Does It Have to Be to Kill Bed Bugs?
Heat can kill bed bugs, but temperature and exposure time matter. Bed bugs die when their body temperature reaches about 113°F, but simply reaching that temperature somewhere in a room isn’t enough.
The surrounding area needs to become even hotter so that sustained heat can penetrate mattresses, furniture, cracks, crevices, and other hiding places. Eggs and bed bugs tucked deep inside belongings also need to receive enough heat for long enough to be eliminated.
That is why simply turning up the thermostat or using space heaters isn’t an effective way to treat an infestation.
Can You Leave Infested Items Outside in the Arizona Sun?
With Arizona’s intense sunshine, putting a mattress, piece of furniture, luggage, or other belongings outside may seem like an easy solution. However, outdoor heat can be inconsistent.
An item’s outside surface may become extremely hot while protected areas inside remain cooler. Shade, airflow, the object’s thickness, and where the bed bugs are hiding can all affect the temperature they actually experience.
Bed bugs can squeeze into extremely small areas, so even if heat kills some bugs, survivors can keep the infestation going. This is one reason DIY bed bug removal often fails to address the entire problem.
What About Clothing and Bedding?
Heat can still be useful for certain washable or dryable belongings. Clothing, sheets, blankets, and other appropriate items can be placed in a clothes dryer on high heat. A high-heat dryer cycle can help kill bed bugs and eggs on items that can safely tolerate the temperature.
However, treating clothing and bedding does not eliminate bugs hiding elsewhere in the home. If bed bugs are also in the bed frame, furniture, baseboards, outlets, or nearby rooms, laundry alone will not solve the infestation.
Do Bed Bugs Become More Active During Arizona Summers?
Not necessarily. Bed bugs can remain active year-round because they live primarily indoors, where temperatures are relatively controlled. Unlike outdoor pests that may disappear during certain seasons, bed bugs have shelter and a food source year-round.
They are also excellent hitchhikers and can enter a home through luggage, clothing, furniture, or other belongings. Knowing how to identify bed bugs in your home can help you recognize an infestation before it has more time to spread.
Arizona Heat Is Not a Bed Bug Treatment
Living in one of the hottest states in the country does not mean your home is protected from bed bugs. The heat needed to eliminate an infestation must reach the bugs wherever they are hiding and be maintained long enough to work. Relying on the Arizona sun, turning off the air conditioning, or attempting to heat the home yourself can leave hidden bed bugs behind.
At Bed Bugs Arizona, we specialize exclusively in bed bug inspection, treatment, and removal throughout Phoenix, Tucson, and communities across Arizona. We offer a free, no-obligation in-home inspection, and our Pro-Treat Plus treatment targets bed bugs throughout the property and at every stage of their life cycle. Professional treatments also include a second service approximately two weeks later and are backed by a one-year warranty. If you suspect bed bugs in your home, call (480) 901-0070 today or contact us to schedule your free inspection.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.