Preface
Most residents of Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area have used a storage unit at some point in their lives. It’s therefore important to be informed about whether or not bed bugs can survive and spread in these spaces, and if so, how one can protect their belongings and peace of mind.
Can bed bugs survive without feeding & the cold temperatures
Bed bugs arrive in storage units through infested furniture and belonging. It is common a misconception that they cannot survive in storage units because of two reasons; there is no host present to feed on and it is too cold in these units. Unfortunately, this is not entirely true.
A study titled Survivorship During Starvation for Cimex lectularius L. by Andrea M Polanco, Dini M Miller, and Carlyle C Brewster found that adult bed bugs can survive up to 142 days of starvation, this is about 5 months of no feeding. Additionally, in a study titled Cold tolerance of bed bugs and practical recommendations for control by Joelle F Olson, Marc Eaton, Stephen A Kells, Victor Morin, Changlu Wang, it was found that the survival of bed bugs “was estimated for temperatures above -12 degrees C even after 1 wk of continuous exposure. However, exposure to temperatures below -13 degrees C will result in 100% mortality in d to ensure mortality of all life stages.”
This means that bed bugs are extremely resilient. They can survive up to 5 months without feeding and handle temperatures typically found in storage units well, as most facilities are climate controlled and even those that aren’t are unlikely to drop below -12 degrees C unless they are outdoors.
Can bed bugs spread between storage units
This depends on the facility. In well-managed storage buildings, units are sealed individually. Bed bugs usually stay confined to the infested unit. Although unlikely, spread can occur through shared spaces and items such as hallways, elevators, and moving carts.
How to safely store and transport belongings
You can easily protect your belongings by ensuring they are all completely sealed before transporting them to a storage unit. Ensure mattresses, box springs, and all furniture are wrapped in heavy-duty plastic sheets and all other belongings are sealed in plastic bags or containers.
Final Thoughts
Although bed bugs can spread and survive in storage units for several months, there is no need to panic or avoid them. You can easily protect your belongings and peace of mind by ensuring all of your items are completely sealed before you transport and store them.
