Why Pests Annoy Us More in Summer

0
196
Why Pests Annoy Us More in Summer

Do you ever wonder why there are so many more bugs flying and creeping around in the warmer seasons than colder months of the year? It would be easy to say that insects don’t like cold weather. However, the truth is a little bit more complex. The cold weather affects several elements of the insects’ lives especially food availability, and it is safer for the insects to limit their movement in cold months.

Every creature that has managed to avoid extinction to date has developed ways to survive every weather condition known to man. Due to their limitations in adaptability, a good number of creatures migrate in winter while others find a place to hide and wait out the cold.

Humans, on the other hand, have found ways to make their environment work for them by changing their clothing, and inventing things such as air conditioners to keep cool when it’s hot and warm when it’s cold.

Natural Disposition

Insects are generally ectothermic (cold-blooded) which means their body temperature is determined by the prevailing environmental temperature. As such, they naturally gravitate to warm areas and avoid the cold.

The cold weather reduces the activity of many insects as they cannot generate their own internal heat. As a result, a good number of the insects find warm places to hide during winter such as within the cracks of your walls, the attic or under some heavy rocks. These are the first locations exterminators target when you call them to do a pest inspection in Brisbane.

Dormancy or Diapause

Much like bears and larger mammals, some insects opt to sleep through the winter. However, for insects, it may not be as well planned out as the bears. Many insects naturally become dormant in cold weather. Their bodies cannot function, and they fall into a type of stasis state. This state is much like a deep sleep where only the basic functions like breathing are carried out automatically.

Life cycle stages

Many insect species have a brief life cycle that is lived out in stages. The life cycle of many insects is such that the spring and summer are their youthful and adult stages while autumn and winter are their egg and pupa stages. Egg and pupa stages do not have much activity or energy requirements. The dietary needs of a pupa are very low, and it stays in one spot eating.

A large number of insects buzz around in the summer to stock up on food, mate and look for breeding grounds where they can lay their eggs. When the cold season begins, the eggs are laid in a dark, warm place where the pupae/maggots can feed off rotting organic matter when they hatch.

Many people often forget about pest management in the winter because they don’t see as many bugs moving around as in the summer.  However, Sydney pest control experts say that taking control measures against pests in cold months makes it easier to control them when it gets warmer.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here