Bugs in my chest freezer???

[movet22]

This is going to sound ridiculous, but I bought a freezer off CL last week to finally be able to make lagers. Picked it up, looked fine, unplugged it and put it in the car for the hour ride home. Got it in the house, opened the top and there were bugs in it. I don't know anything about bugs except that I do not like them much hahaha.

I cleaned out the freezer and covered up some of the warped exterior that I believe the critters may have snuck in. I set the temp and all seemed ****** dorry, until I cranked the temp up to about 50*F to start off the first fermentation in it. I opened the top to check progress and saw two more of the bugs. This is why I am worried, I don't want there to be little beetle-looking kinda things crawling around whenever the ambient temp rises too high. (When I kicked it back down to 44*F, the problem halted.

What the heck should I do about this? Just keep the temp low? use some sort of insecticide? I am really at a bit of a loss here.

PS- I would prefer not getting a new freezer- it was quite a major PitA to get it in my basement, and it was only a 5 cubic foot model!

 

[DPBISME]

I would guess they got during transport but if not...

Empty the damn thing out and crank the temp as low as it will go and let it sit for a few days...

When you are done check the seals because I cannot imagine they are getting access anyother way.

You could also stick it out side, close it up and hit it with bug spray in those exterior places where they might be nesting.

 

[passedpawn]

If bugs are getting inside, it might not be very airtight. The bugs might be telling you something.

At least figure out how they are getting in/out of it and seal with silicone.

 

[broadbill]

Do you know what a cockroach looks like? They like make nests/hang about heat sources such as freezer compressors. ARe they alive?

 

[thejudge]

Post a pic, but either way the problem can be solved with pesticides. Just make sure to unplug it, treat it(at least twice as well as your basement) and clean it out good with baking soda solution be fore using again. Also check and make sure all your seals are good. You can purchase new seals from a home appliance repair shop for cheap and seal all seams in the inside with food grade silicone only on the inside regular silicone on he outside.

 

[movet22]

Do you know what a cockroach looks like? They like make nests/hang about heat sources such as freezer compressors. ARe they alive?

I do know what cockraoches look like, but these are not nearly as big as them. but I guess they look similar, albeit, much smaller (biggest one was about 1/2'')

I'll snag a pic if I see one again. Anyone have any recommendations for the type of pesticide to use?

 

[movet22]

Mother ****er. A quick google search looks like I may have some small cockroach things. I would say almost certainly a nest inside the freezer somewhere (it is a bit beat up, so all the seams are not tight.)

My fiance is going to murder me is the freezer she didn't want in the house causes us a roach problem... What should I use to kill these bastards? And honestly, I may go to HD and load up for war either way. hahaha

 

[LandoLincoln]

I'm betting that they're holed up inside the insulation of the lid. If you took that apart and replaced the insulation in the lid, they'd go away.

The lid insulation areas of chest freezers are typically pretty nasty. Be forewarned.

 

[movet22]

I'm betting that they're holed up inside the insulation of the lid. If you took that apart and replaced the insulation in the lid, they'd go away.

The lid insulation areas of chest freezers are typically pretty nasty. Be forewarned.

This makes a ton of sense- the last one I found was actually IN the wrinkle of the rubber seal thingy that it attached to the lid...

Good lord, I am going to find a world of sh!t in there, aren't I?

 

[OmegaFunk]

 

[passedpawn]

When you open the freezer panels, expect something like this. Have a big stick ready.

 

[movet22]

I'll load my rifle and get a makeshift flamethrower going. I can't say I am happy about this, but if it will take care of my pest problem, then it shall be done.

 

[MrNatural]

Get yourself a huge plastic bag, or duct tape plastic sheet to make one, and put one of those cans of bug-bomb in there. Then air it out like a mofo after all the buggers are kilt.
Might even be able to give it a couple of days of CO2, and asphyxiate them?

 

[LandoLincoln]

This makes a ton of sense- the last one I found was actually IN the wrinkle of the rubber seal thingy that it attached to the lid...

Good lord, I am going to find a world of sh!t in there, aren't I?

Step 1) With the lid closed, take some hefty nails or some 12 gauge wire or coat hanger wire and locate the holes in the sides of the lid hinges that stop the hinges from opening once the lid is disconnected from the hinges. This way they won't spring open on you once you remove the lid.

Step 2) Take a socket driver and remove the bolts holding the lid to the hinges.

The next steps require you to have a video camera with audio running, preferably on a tripod for our amusement. And you really should do this outside on a deck or a backyard or a garage or something.

Step 3) Lift up the ends of the rubber seal to locate the plastic plugs that hold the inside lid liner to the lid and remove the plugs with a putty knife and pliers.

Step 4) Put on some gloves to protect yourself from the nastiness waiting for you.

Step 5) Remove the rubber seal and lid liner to expose the insulation. Try not to yell too loud.

 

[movet22]

What if I just scrapped it and made a new lid?

outrageous?

 

[LandoLincoln]

What if I just scrapped it and made a new lid?

outrageous?

Personally, I wouldn't go that far.

 

[troysoy2]

I would make sure they aren't bed bugs before bug bombing anything. Pesticides are generally ineffective on bed bugs, and will just cause then to spread further into your house, resulting in a difficult to treat infestation.

Bed bugs are on the rise lately. I'd hate for anyone to get them from purchasing second-hand equipment/furniture. They are not fun.

 

[movet22]

ok, so (after another google search) they look like they might also be bed bugs...

Any ideas for how to take care of that? I am seriously considering moving my current fermenting pils into my main fridge, and going with the plastic-sack-bug-fogger-bomb method. Will the bed bugs live through this?

I would love to avoid opening that freakin' lid if I can just fog bomb the you-know-what out of it and seal all the cracks and gaps with silicone.

 

[LandoLincoln]

If they're bed bugs, GET THAT THING OUT OF YOUR BUILDING RIGHT NOW.

 

[movet22]

If they're bed bugs, GET THAT THING OUT OF YOUR BUILDING RIGHT NOW.

leaving work as early as I can to do just that. Is this thing toast? Am I just going to have to eat the $50 I paid and toss it?

 

[movet22]

The problem I am having ID-ing the culprit bug here is that I had the freezer running at -15 for ~24 hours after I brought it home. wouldn't that have killed anything inside of it. Like I said, the only time any bugs are apparent is when the temp is above ~50*F

 

[troysoy2]

Ok, disclaimer: Do not freak out until you have a professional identify whether or not they are in fact bed bugs. There are a couple bed bug look-alikes out there.

However, I would also suggest getting that freezer outside ASAP. The last thing you want is bed bugs. Unfortunately, the only really effective treatment for bed bugs is heat. You would have to raise the core temp of the freezer to above 120 degrees F. Conventional pesticides tend not to work on bed bugs.

If bed bugs did make their way into your house and started reproducing, you'd likely end up having to get a specialized company to raise the core temp of your entire house (or at least the affected rooms) to above 120. No simple task.

I'm no professional, but trust me, you do not want to mess around with bed bugs. I know it may be awkward/potentially insulting to them, but I would get in contact with the people you bought the freezer from. Ask then if they know anything about it.

 

[troysoy2]

Running the freezer at a low temperature may kill bed bugs, but it could take weeks. They're much more resistant to low temps than they are high temps.

 

[movet22]

I think I may have gotten lucky with the fact that they are contained within the actual freezer, I am going to get that trash out of my basement this afternoon and drive my ass to HD or walmart and buy a new, non infested freezer. SWOMBO will be unhappy, but it will be better than me infecting the house with bed bugs, or the like for that matter.

 

[BGBC]

I do know what cockraoches look like, but these are not nearly as big as them. but I guess they look similar, albeit, much smaller (biggest one was about 1/2'')

I doubt they are bed bugs if they are really this size. Had a minor bed bug issue when I was living in NYC several years ago. They are a b*tch to get rid of, but are much smaller than that - think mm, not inches.

Unless your new fridge was being used to incubate a new cockroach/bed bug hybrid (bedroach?)...

 

[troysoy2]

Good call. It may also be good form to mark the freezer as bed bug infested, if you plan on getting rid of it. That way, dumpster divers and the like don't make the mistake of taking it home.

I agree that you should be fine, and that they were mostly contained inside the freezer. Just get that thing outside, and stay aware for the next few months.

 

[movet22]

I doubt they are bed bugs if they are really this size. Had a minor bed bug issue when I was living in NYC several years ago. They are a b*tch to get rid of, but are much smaller than that - think mm, not inches.

Unless your new fridge was being used to incubate a new cockroach/bed bug hybrid (bedroach?)...

Yeah, I am no expert, but in fact a panicker/worrier. The more I look into bed bugs, I don't think it is them. These guys are in fact larger than what people say, and they don't look like the adult ones (which have more of a stink-bug look to them).

Either way, I am getting rid of this thing.

 

[troysoy2]

That's true about a half inch being a bit too big. Biggest they get is about the size of an apple seed. Still, I would err on the side of caution.

 

[movet22]

just offered a buddy dinner to meet me at my house after work to help take it out. he obliged. hahaha, thank god

 

[movet22]

This will also be the last time I buy anything on CL, I am afraid. There was ZERO sign of any bugs when I checked it out to pick it up... son of a b*tch!