Do bugs come out in the winter

Do Bugs Come Out in the Winter?

Do Bugs Come Out in the Winter?

You may be wondering about what happens to all the bugs when winter sets in, and you may be asking yourself whether bugs come out in the winter. AAI Pest Control experts shared the different ways through which bugs survive the winter in order to come out in full force when the weather gets warmer.

Migration

You may be aware that many species of birds migrate to warmer regions when the winter season starts and they or their offspring return when the weather changes to what they prefer.

The same survival method is used by many varieties of insects, such as leafhoppers, beetles, butterflies, moths, milkweed bugs and locusts. The insects fly south and locate a warm place where they can reproduce.

When winter ends, the young insects fly back north after the short lifespans of their parent’s end. Monarch butterflies, according to Modesto pest control professionals, are an interesting exception to this rule since the same insects that left for winter return to their same habitat once winter ends.

Hibernation

AAI Pest Control inspectors say that insects can also hibernate in order to survive the harsh winter months. This phase is called diapause. The insects have an inbuilt mechanism which triggers the addition of fat onto their bodies when the daylight hours start getting fewer as winter nears.

The insects will also reduce the water content of their bodies and they will not eat or come near anything which could cause ice to form in or outside their bodies during winter.

The insects can then find an appropriate hiding place, such as inside the chimney, and slow down their metabolism so much that the insect will have basically halted all biological activity inside its body. This suspended state will be maintained until the winter ends and the body temperature of the insect rises enough for its metabolism to pick up again.

Eggs, Larvae and Pupae

Some insects also ensure the survival of their species by timing the different stages of their development carefully so that some of their own will be alive at the end of winter.

For example, silkworm larvae will transform into pupae just as winter is beginning. The pupae are enclosed inside a protective casing that shields them from the conditions outside. Also, that pupae casing is attached to something solid (like a tree branch) so that the harsh winter winds will not blow the casing away.

The insect will, therefore, continue growing inside that casing as the winter rages all it wants outside. The end of the pupa stage coincides with the onset of warmer days.

Other insects (some species of moths and the praying mantis, for example) lay their eggs and the development of the insect happens within the egg during winter. This may be the reason why a new horde of the insects will “miraculously” appear just as winter is ending.

Uninvited House Guests

When conditions are favorable, pests may not have a huge motivation to find their way into your house since they can find abundant sources of food and shelter outdoors. However, the approaching winter triggers the survival instinct in many bugs and they will do everything possible to access the conditioned spaces inside your home. Cluster flies, wasps, Asian lady beetles, and other pests will make a beeline for any opening leading into your home.

These bugs will still prefer the hidden nooks and crannies in your home where they will lie low until the winter ends. Some may even find the conditions inside your home so favorable that they will reproduce and become a full-fledged infestation.

Some bugs come out in winter, so watch the pantry, closet, attic, the basement and any other secluded places which are dark and humid. Call AAI Pest Control anytime you discover that pests have intruded your home.

Do Bugs Come Out in the Winter? Professional Pest Control Services in Tracy CA

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