Where Do Bugs Go in Winter?

The winter months may bring cold temperatures, snow, and blustery winds. It also brings fewer bugs. So, where do the bugs go? The answer might not be as simple as you’d think.

The bugs you see in the winter will vary depending on where you live. In warm desert places like Arizona, mild winters mean more insect activity. Whereas in a place like New England, where temperatures drop significantly during winter months, there tends to be less.

Some insects cannot survive freezing temperatures and will leave cold climates to find warmer weather. Certain species of beetles, moths, butterflies and dragonflies all migrate. Other insects simply go dormant when the cold weather arrives, burrowing deep into the soil, beneath tree bark, or in other places to stay warm and sheltered.

Unfortunately, some insects might also seek shelter in your home or business. Here’s what pests you need to look out for in the wintertime and some tips on dealing with them.

Ants

Some types of ants may take up shelter indoors by finding cracks in houses, entering buildings through openings and doorframes, or nesting in the soil just under the home. These winter “guests” rarely cause significant damage, but they can get annoying!

If you notice ants trailing inside your home, wipe up any ant trails with a household cleaner and rag. This will spot-kill visible ants and wipe up any pheromone trails the ants could be leaving behind for their buddies to follow. If you notice a large influx of ants after heavy rainfall or snowmelt, this activity may subside in a few days. In either case, if your problem doesn’t go away, enlist the services of a professional pest control company.

Spiders

While certain species of spiders are dangerous, most of the spiders we see in and around our homes are not a threat — even the big, brown scary ones. More frequently, the big brown spider in your house is a common house spider, not a brown recluse.

Of course, we understand that spider identification can be tricky. Spiders don’t respond to targeted insecticides, so the best way to banish spiders from your home is to vacuum up any spiders or webs you see.

Scheduling a recurring spider-sweeping service with Thorn is the best way to ensure adult spiders and egg sacs are removed and reduce the overall spider population around your home.

Termites

There are several termite species, but the two main termite species known for chewing through homes in Utah are drywood and subterranean termites. And considering wood is a termite’s favorite food, it’s natural that they want to shelter in your home in the winter.

It can be hard to watch for termite threats in the winter when most homeowners are staying indoors. If you find termites in the soil around your home this winter, notice termite damage, or if you are concerned about damage, call on Thorn to do a thorough inspection of your home. Termites are not an issue you can leave alone.

Yellowjackets and Wasps

While entire nests don’t overwinter, inseminated queens do. Luckily, they are far more concerned with surviving the cold and making their way outside when the weather warms than they are with stinging you or your loved ones.

Yellowjacket queens are large and sluggish. They typically overwinter in attics and crawl spaces. Still, you may see them pop up on the occasional warm winter day, buzzing around windows to see if they can go out and start a nest. In this situation, either let them outside or grab a vacuum and suck them up.

On the other hand, paper wasp queens will huddle in groups on the underside of eaves. This can be alarming, but paper wasps are considered non-aggressive and beneficial. Overall, they’re likely to leave you alone if you leave them alone, especially when they’re outside.

Keep Pests Out Year-Round

The best pest protection is prevention. When you work with the professionals of Thorn, we help your home stay pest-free year-round without using harmful pesticides. Our science-backed methods save you time, money and hassle. Whether you’re seeing more pest activity in or around your home as the weather warms, or you want to keep pests from seeking your home for winter shelter, call Thorn so you can have some peace of mind this winter season.