Cockroaches are brutal bugs and hardy creatures that can withstand many environments and still live. Due to their ability to stand in various situations, they are hard to exterminate and can hide incredibly well.
That’s why they are considered pests. Cockroaches can also stand in hot and cold temperatures, but extreme conditions kill them.
Facts: Cockroaches kill more slowly in cold as compared to hot temperatures. Usually die at temperatures above 120 F (49 C) and below 15 F (-9 C).
For eggs, the temperature will be above 150F (65 C) and below) F (-18 C). This range is the same for all variants except a few.
Effect of Cold Temperature on Roaches
Cockroaches are flexible by nature. They can withstand a wide range of temperatures, both cold and hot. But of course, there is a limit to their tolerance. Extreme cold temperatures can be life-threatening to them.
Cockroaches prefer warm environments for living despite their ability to survive in cold.
When the temperature starts to drop, like in winter, they move here and there to search for a warm place to hide, which is why they are seen more in winter.
But if they are not able to find such a place, prolonged exposure to cold causes them to be sluggish and eventually die. So, this temperature is less inviting for them because they eventually die off.
Cold Temperature that Kills Roaches
Extreme cold kills roaches. When the temperature drops to 15 F ( -9C) and below, roaches will die. So, does this mean roaches die during winter?
No, obsoletely not. Their deaths depend on temperature. If the temperature crosses 15F, they will die.
Now, you are curious about what will happen in winter. They adjust in winter by finding a suitable place to hide.
The best places to hide in during winter are holes, boxes, basements, kitchen cabinets, cracks, subflooring, and plumbing.
In their homes, they not only obtain a warm place but also have access to food, which allows them to be active, grow, and reproduce. This will surprise you when they are out from hibernation; their infestation increases.
When the temperature drops to 40 F (4C), roaches reduce activities such as growth and reproduction. But Extreme temperatures kill roaches if there is no time to hibernate.
Between zero and 15 C, roaches can’t maintain the body temperature needed for respiration and metabolism. Their respiratory openings freeze, and they cease breathing, which causes death.
Cockroaches are very sensitive to temperature change, so It turns out that cold temperatures can actually kill cockroaches.
You can also kill cockroaches’ eggs by freezing them at a temperature below 0 ( -18 C). But the eggs do not instantly die. Leave them exposed to low temperatures for three days, then destroy them.
You can also eliminate cockroach infestation to lower the temperature to this level, but in real-time, it is quite impossible to lower the temperature of the infested area.
However, you can place a vehicle and other movable-infested items in the garage when it is such a cold temperature and leave them there for a few days, which can kill roaches.
Use of Freezer and Refrigerator to kill roaches
The concept of using freezers and refrigerators to kill roaches is a viable solution but not permanent.
Roaches have difficulty surviving in extreme cold weather, making this technique highly effective, but if you are facing an infestation, it is nearly impossible to put all roaches in the freezer.
Prolonged exposure to high temperatures in these appliances can kill them.
You can also put roaches in the freezer, and when they die, simply throw them away in bins. However, this is a temporary solution for eliminating the infestation, and you should adopt the proper technique to kill them.
FAQs
Wiil roaches leave your house in the cold?
Yes, cold weather can encourage them to leave your house, but they may be alive if they still have water and food. Extreme cold can eliminate them because all of their body functions become seized, and they will die.
Should you expect a roach infestation in winter?
Not always, but infestation can occur in winter. That is because roaches will find warm places in your house and hide them to avoid low temperatures.
Warmth is one of the most important things to attract roaches to your home compared to the outside environment, so they find a way to enter your home during winter and late spring.
To prevent infestation, cockroaches may not enter your house at first. Keep your house clean and free from any attractive things for roaches. All entrances must be seal-like holes and entry points to avoid roach infestation.
Will you see dead roaches in winter in your house?
It may not be possible, but it may happen for another reason if you wonder when you see consistently dead roaches in your home.
Normally, during winter, cockroaches find a way to hide in warm places at your home or may enter hibernation mode. When things become routine, they become active again.
Hibernation is an inactive state in which growth and metabolism become slow, so they find space to hide where food and water are present during winter.
Can roaches survive in the cold?
When the temperature drops below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, roaches’ metabolic activities decrease.
When it reaches below 15 degrees Fahrenheit, their growth and metabolism stop, their respiratory tract seizes, and they start to die.
So, roaches prefer warm and humid climates to live in and avoid cold climates.
Will cockroaches die in winter?
Cockroaches are cold-blooded animals. They hate cold environments and are always looking for warm places. These species can live without water and food for a month but can not regulate their temperature.
Whether you are dealing with German cockroaches, Oriental cockroaches, or American Cockroaches, they will survive in winter if they find warm food and water.
So, they try to enter your house, especially in winter, in order to find a safe place.
These species would die if left outside in the cold winter months. If they successfully way out of your home in a temperature drop, you will see them in all the small holes of your house.
When winters are gone, you notice and might find a roach’s activity more in your house. So, to prevent roach infestation right after winter, holes, openings, and all other entrance points of your home must be sealed.Â
Conclusion
Cockroaches and their eggs can survive in harsh conditions that rely on optimum temperatures. Extreme cold weather prevents them from living because their body function starts to stop, and eventually, they die.
Cold techniques may be used for elimination but are impossible on all premises.
In winter, when the weather is not as severe, they die, they hide in warm areas of your premises to survive because their metabolic and growth activities may be disturbed.
Although some species of roaches, like oriental cockroaches, are able to survive in extremely cold weather.
To exterminate roaches from your home, it is necessary to adopt proper techniques and make your home free from these tiny creatures.
However, even after elimination, there is also a chance of infestation again, so care is needed in order to prevent infestation again.
