Bugs and other insects can survive even in the weirdest of places. In fact, as uninhabitable as Antarctica is, three kinds of insects still survive there.
So, it’s no wonder why some bugs still find a way to survive inside your refrigerator. Although after some time, many of such insects die off. As such, you’re left with different kinds of tiny dead bugs in your fridge.
But don’t panic just yet. There’s a way to get rid of these dead bugs and a way to keep them from coming back. Everything you need is right here in this article. So, scroll your way to the answers you need.
Can Bugs Live in The Refrigerators? If Yes, What Bugs Can Live in The Fridge?
Oddly yes; some bugs can survive in your fridge. But the length of time that such bugs can spend in your fridge depends on the bug species.
For instance, there are certain species of cockroaches that can live up to 60 days under a temperature condition of 20 degrees celsius says Sanitary animals. At about 2 degrees celsius, they can live up to about a week or so.
Now, according to the US FDA, the recommended level for a fridge is about 4 degrees celsius. So, in a fridge that follows this, then a cockroach might just have a chance to survive for one, two, or even more days.
The reason for this ability of cockroaches to survive under the cold condition of a fridge lies in their biology. You see, the thing is, cockroaches can’t make their own body heat.
Other insects that can survive in fridges are flies, ants, gnats. However, unlike roaches, these bugs cannot survive therein as long as cockroaches.
What Are the Tiny Dead Bugs in The Fridge or Freezer?
Yes, the fridge is not a usual place for ordinary insects. But there are some insects and bugs that beat the odds to some level.
In the end, however, some of them would die and remain in your fridge as dead bugs. Some of these dead bugs in fridges include:
1. Cockroaches.
Roaches are one of the most common dead bugs in fridges. This is because they can slip in through the door crevices. Such crevices can occur when the rubber fittings on the door are loose, worn gaskets or through the underside of the fridge parts.
Once they get in, the cockroaches can survive the cold conditions of a normal fridge. And oftentimes, the major attractant for cockroaches and most of the other insects on this list is sugary foods.
At other times, roaches find their way into your fridge in search of water. So, a leaking fridge is another reason why cockroaches are attracted to fridges.
Oftentimes, refrigerators’ leaks are caused by blocked defrosting drains and frozen supply lines.
How Long Does Cockroach Survive in the Refrigerator?
Unlike most of the other animals on this list, cockroaches can survive for weeks in a fridge. That chance of survival becomes lower if the cockroach is in the freezer.
Although sometimes, cockroaches get so lucky that they can locate a heat source within a fridge or freezer like the light bulb, motors, and other heat-producing sources. This can serve as a means for the cockroach to warm themselves up.
If that happens, the cockroaches would continue to breed and reside within the fridge. As for cockroach eggs and larvae, the survival rate inside a normal fridge can extend up to 60 days.
- READ MORE: Annoying Tiny Green Bugs That Bite.
2. Flies.
You’re likely to find two groups of flies in your fridge. Namely, they are the drain flies, phorid flies, and fruit flies. But here, we’ll look at two of these more closely:
- The Drain Flies.
Drain flies look like moths in terms of appearance and color.
Because like moths, drain flies are often greyish in color and they have the same kind of fluffy wings as in moths. But unlike moths, drain flies are often found around drains. This can be in the kitchen, basement, and laundry room.
What Attracts Drain Flies to Your Fridge? And How Did They Get Inside Your Fridge?
Earlier, we noted that drain flies are often found near drains in the bathrooms, kitchen sinks, and basements.
Now, if they live that far, then how did they get into our fridges? Well… their entry point is through the water drip pan.
You see, all fridges have a compressor that’s usually placed under them. Above this compressor, that’s where you will find the water drip pan. This water drip pan is like a water collector that receives the water generated by melting ice.
Since we keep food materials in our fridges, it’s most likely that this water smells like food similar to the ones in drains. This scent is exactly what attracts drain flies and phorid flies as well.
Together, both bugs enter the fridge through the hose of the water drip pan.
How Long Do Drain Flies Survive in the Refrigerator?
When they get inside the fridge, drain flies make their way onto the foods therein. If the food is open, they spread their wings on the food and feed on it as they see fit.
Sometimes, you can even notice them on the fridge trays, the sidewalls, and at the base of your fridge.
However, within a short while, drain flies would freeze to death. It is their bodies that we see as dead bugs.
- Fruit Flies.
Unlike drain flies, fruit flies are not attracted by smelly water drips. Instead, they are attracted to fruits, sugars, and vegetables kept inside the fridge.
Not only that, they tend to survive inside the fridge much less than cockroaches. So, within a few days, fruit flies would also freeze to death.
- READ MORE: Difference between Hives and Bug bites.
3. Gnats.
In terms of appearance, gnats are black, tiny, and with an appearance just like that of mosquitoes. But unlike the latter, gnats don’t suck blood.
Then again, unlike fruit flies which are attracted by the sugary smell and the drain flies attracted by damp water, gnats are more attracted to the light source in the fridge.
Although like the other insects, gnats also venture into fridges to get your stored food as a backdrop.
To get in, gnats squeeze their bodies through the gaps on doors or rather crawl in through compression vents. But in less than 7 hours, any gnat in a fridge will die off.
- READ MORE: How to Get Rid of Gnats in House?
How to Get Rid of Dead Bugs in the Fridge.
- Clear out your fridge.
Cleanliness is one of the surest ways to get rid of dead bugs in the fridge. But you can’t clean your fridge with all the foods stored inside it.
So, the first step to removing bugs from your fridge is to clear out the cutter. Start this by turning off your fridge and taking out all the containers inside it.
- Remove, wipe and replace the different trays in the fridge.
After turning off the fridge and clearing out the storing containers, wait for a few minutes to allow the ice to defrost. Afterward, bring out the fridge trays and clean them with dishwashing soaps.
When you’re done, wipe the trays and leave them to dry.
- Clean the interior of the fridge.
After the trays, the walls are the next in line. So, make soapy water, and with it, wipe the fridge walls clean.
In fact, you can scrub the wall with a soft sponger. But all in all, make sure that all the dirt hiding within tight crevices is removed.
- Keep the doors open and replace the worn gaskets in the fridge.
After the general cleaning, make sure you allow the fridge interior to dry out. You can do this by leaving the doors open.
Also, remember to check out all the leaking spots and crevices in your fridge. One of those things to check is the gaskets. Because oftentimes, worn gaskets are the most common entry factor for bugs.
Once the fridge is all dry, you can return its contents. But make sure to throw out all spoiled food materials.
- Keep edible repellent in your fridge.
So far, we’ve looked at how you can rid your fridge of bugs; both dead and alive. However, prevention, they say, is better than cure.
So, one way to solve your fridge-bug problem forever is to set an open trap inside your fridge. This trap can be an open cup filled with vinegar or red wine. Although, we suggest you use red wine.
This is because the smell of vinegar can be sickening to humans. But red wine; the strong scent will attract any bug in the fridge to drown inside it.
Final Words.
In this article, we made it clear that even though the cold condition of a fridge or freezer is harsh to insects, some insects still survive within it.
Some of those insects include cockroaches, fruit flies, drain flies, and gnats. Among them, only the roaches can survive for about a week in a fridge. In fact, a cockroach larva can survive up to 60 days inside a mildly-cold fridge.
As for the others, their survival rate is quite low.
