HOW DO INSECTS SURVIVE WINTER’S COLD?

In New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and the Eastern Shore of Maryland, insects are most active in the summer, and many people tend to think of insects as a strictly summer pest. Many insects, such as wasps and most bee species, do die out when winter’s cold winds start to blow. A single fertilized queen digs down into the soil, sheltering underground until spring arrives when she emerges to build new colony. But quite a few insects have devised fascinating strategies for surviving our cold winters and can continue to present pest control problems during the winter months, caution your local pest control experts at Viking Pest Control.

What Insects Remain Active in the Winter?

Some insect species like ants and termites remain active throughout the winter. Termites and certain ant species build their nests deep underground below the freeze depth and above the water table where ground temperatures remain a constant 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit year-round. Some insects, notably wood-destroying carpenter ants, little black ants and disease-carrying pharaoh ants, solve the winter survival problem by moving into homes where they can continue to forage and expand their colonies during the winter.

Other insects, such as stink bugs, Asian lady beetles (lady bugs), cluster flies and box elder bugs, go into a type of hibernation called diapause. During dormancy their body systems slow dramatically, allowing these insects to conserve energy and survive colder temperatures. Because they remain motionless and are vulnerable to attack during diapause, over-wintering insects seek shelter and protection in protected places such as attics, soffits and wall voids. A warm, sunny winter day can rouse hibernating insects prematurely, causing them to emerge from their hiding places and create a nuisance inside homes and buildings.

Seasonal pest control applications by a licensed NJ, PA, MD, and DE pest control company like Viking Pest Control can eliminate winter pests and keep them from building permanent colonies in your home. Learn more about Viking's year-round Home Protection Plans.