Snow and bone-chilling temperatures are quite common in the winter here in the Kansas City area. While we don’t typically see a lot of pesky insects during this time of the year, we know they are hiding somewhere. Have you ever stopped to wonder how this kind of weather affects insects?
According to the University of Illinois’ Loretta Ortiz-Ribbing, Ph.D., the Japanese beetle is one insect that suffers greater mortality rates in the winter, particularly when soil temperatures drop below 20 degrees. However, if a snow fall insulates the soil, the decreased temperature will have less of an impact on the Japanese beetle population. This is because temperatures just inches below the surface are usually warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer than the actual air temperature, according to David Haviland, integrated pest management farm advisor at the #mce_temp_url#. In fact, an insulating snow will have less of an impact on almost any insect.
Additionally, since insects are cold-blooded and don’t regulate their own temperature, they can stop moving when it is too cold for them to warm themselves up. If the insect doesn’t freeze solid, it will eventually be able to resume what it was doing when temperatures warm up. Some insects also hibernate, or diapauses, which is basically a state of metabolic inactivity, which allows them to tolerate the cold for a long period of time, even when temperatures are well below freezing.
If you thought insects just die or move away in the winter, think again. These pests that attack your yard and trees do stick around for the winter, even if they aren’t all that visible. If you have experience problems with insects in the past, contact Cartwright Tree Care today to begin taking preventative action to protect your trees! Our experts are here to help, and now is a great time to begin planning a Plant Health Care Program for Spring!
Photo credit: Ag.perdue.edu.