How Does Cold Weather Affect Insects?

Now that the weather is starting to cool down, you may be wondering what happens to those pesky bugs in the winter. How do they survive until the spring? Where do they go? Does anything kill them? You may be asking yourself these types of questions when you see a spider making a new home on your window screen or a trail of ants walking through your kitchen. For many insects, winter is the end. Other insects have adapted to the extreme temperatures and winter has no effect on them. A B Pest Control & Insulation knows that whether insects seek shelter inside of your house, or they have other ways to survive, insects are persistent and if you understand their cold tolerance levels, you can control them better. Your pest control company at the Lake of the Ozarks has some information to help you deal with insects this winter.

When the Seasons Change

Most people notice a drop in the number of insects, both inside and outside of the home when the season changes from summer to fall. This shows that the colder weather does have some effect on insects, but what exactly happens to them?

Hibernation

Like certain animals, some insects will go into hibernation to avoid the cold temperatures. When the temperature begins to drop, some types of insects will go dormant. When they go dormant, the insect’s metabolism slows, and energy is conserved. When the temperatures begin to warm up, they are able to use that energy and their metabolism goes back to normal.

Freeze Avoidance – one of the most popular cold-temperature defense mechanism for an insect is freeze avoidance. This is just another way to say that insects “hunker down for the winter”. Insects that use freeze avoidance will retreat into rotting trees, they will bury themselves beneath the soil, or they will make their way into your home or another structure in order to ride out the cold temperatures.

Freeze Tolerance – a few insects, usually those with habitats in extreme latitudes, have developed the ability to survive ice formation within their tissues. They can create a natural anti-freeze which allows them to survive in the coldest of temperatures. This anti-freeze prevents the formation of damaging ice crystals and allows the insect to survive until the warmer temperatures allows them to thaw.

Migration

Some insects outrun the cold weather by migrating away from it. These insects usually take part in a one-way migration to warmer climates where they reproduce, die, and then send the new generation back to start the cycle again.

Death

Many insects do die when the cold weather strikes. It’s not as bad as it seems, many insects are able to fulfill their mission in life before the winter hits. That mission is to reproduce. Before the cold weather hits, many insects will prepare the next generation for the upcoming spring. They do this by laying eggs in specific areas or by providing larvae with food and shelter to make it through the winter.   

Where do Spiders Go in the Winter?

The spiders you see in your house have been there all along. These spiders colonize your home thanks to eggs sacs that are brought into your home. Most spiders avoid humans. The spiders you do see in your home are more than likely male spiders that are looking for mates. Many outdoor spiders are cold-tolerant and hide from predators before they go dormant for the winter.

Where do Cockroaches Go in the Winter?

These extremely pesky insects acclimate to cold temperature quite well. Inside of your home, cockroaches have no problem at all during the winter. Cockroaches that are outside look for a place to take shelter once the cold weather hits. They look for: food, warmth, and a daytime hiding place.

Where do Bed Bugs Go in the Winter?

Bed bugs tend to stay active during the winter. They tend to go dormant in temperature below 65 degrees, but since your home tends to stay warm throughout the winter, they thrive.

Now that you know what happens to insects during the winter, hopefully, you are more prepared. If you need help getting rid of pesky insects that are still sticking around, give your Lake of the Ozarks pest control company a call.  A B Pest Control & Insulation will make sure your home is pest free and ready for the holidays. 

Lake of the Ozarks
Pest Control Company

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www.abpest.net

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