at what temperature do bugs not matter?

At those temps you shouldn't have to worry. I won't be bringing my headnet on my next October trip. It's funny in the Southeast. Last year the noseeums were so bad I couldn't stand it. This year and even during and after the heatwave I didn't get hardly a single bite. Bug season is over as far as I'm concerned, at least here in the mountains of TN and NC. (Though before the first freeze you could hike past an angry yellow jacket nest—they are very active in the Fall).

As far as ticks, they're more a problem hiking overgrown trails than in camp, even when it's warm. I never give them or spiders a second thought, and am only concerned about biting mosquitoes and buzzing gnats(gnats drive me nuts). Unless I'm "gear testing", I really don't pay that much attention to temps, either, but how the bugs were in the evening the previous week. Think I've usually done away with bug netting by the time my 30F quilt takes over from the 50F, though. 32-35F lows, I'm using my groundsheet instead of a mesh inner.

OK good. In warmer weather I've laid a ground sheet on leave litter and seen ticks crawling over it in minutes, but as long as a full-on freeze isn't required to stop them, great.

Read some of the Q&A's here: http://www.tickencounter.org/faq/seasonal_information Interesting stuff!

This is a very thorough and knowledgible site. Thanks for posting it.

http://www.tickencounter.org/faq/seasonal_information Holy moly! Dang maybe I do need to bring the bug bivy…

This is right in line with something I witnessed last fall. Did a hike with a buddy of mine in mid-November, at least 3 weeks after the first frost. All the leaves had fallen, so it was way past the point we expected to see any ticks. Instead, we had ticks crawling all over us. At one point there were perhaps 6-8 ticks at a time creeping up my pant leg. Worst I've ever seen.

I find ticks to be more common this time of year and in Jan/Feb than in the middle of the summer. Spiders will still be out as well. Gnats, etc…should be gone. Didn't see many last weekend.

I don't like ticks and I especially don't like worrying about whether I should worry about them. I ALWAYS hike in head-to-toe InsectShield clothing and haven't had (or worried about) a tick in many years.