26 Oct Where Do All the Bugs Go When It’s Cold Outside?
You might see fewer bugs in the wintertime in and around your house, but this doesn’t mean they’re all gone though and that they simply disappeared. Insects don’t all die in the wintertime. They just spend their time in different places and areas. Usually, in the wintertime, they will migrate or hibernate to a different area. Think of the same as you. In the wintertime, you spend your hours in different places than you do in the summer. This is because of the weather and the conditions of the environment change.
So, where do they go?
All insects can withstand cold temperatures and colder temperatures don’t always mean fewer bugs. One of the most common strategies for withstanding cold temperatures is for the bug to bury themselves underground. These protective strategies work well in most winters because the insect populations can remain stable.
How Cold Does it Need to Get for Bugs to Disappear?
It usually must be in the negative temperatures for bugs to disappear and be completely gone from your home and surrounding area. The colder it gets, the more of the population is wiped out. Some insects though, such as honeybees can withstand all kinds of temperatures because they need to be active all year to be beneficial for their populations.
What About Fleas?
Fleas are unfortunately a year-round nuisance, but they can die when the temperature drops below freezing. The temperatures will get cold enough for mature fleas and their eggs to die and drop off. Remember this is the temperature for outside though. If the fleas are inside your home, they will probably continue to live.
Even if you take your animal outside to potty in the winter, they will still bring the fleas back inside. Even more so, they will start to reinfest once the temperature rises, and it gets warm again. This means you will need to treat your animals for fleas year-round.
Make sure they are using their flea medicines all year round even if you might think they don’t need them. This will ensure you don’t get an infestation in your home.
In Summary
Bugs can’t live well in freezing temperatures, but they can live. This means you still need to do pest control in the winter and inspect your homes for bugs. Most bugs will bury themselves though during the winter and then you will see them come out full force in the summer when the weather warms up.