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As the weather starts to warm up after a long, cold winter, insect and rodent activity will start to increase. Insect activity will predict the weather as the weather starts to heat up, when the rainy season arrives or if we have another severe dry spell. 

How Warmer Temperatures Affect Insect Activity 

Insects cannot produce body heat; therefore, they are referred to as being cold-blooded creatures. The temperature around them will always play an integral part in how they behave. The temperature levels affect their behaviour patterns, breeding, and their growth. 

How Cold Weather Affects Insects 

Insects hibernate during the cold winter months where they seek places of shelter. This ranges from digging shelters under the ground or by making themselves comfortable in our homes and other dwellings. A few examples of these hibernating creatures include ladybugs, spiders and cockroaches, to mention a few of the many that make themselves comfortable in and around structures. The moment the temperature drops many insects start to slow down, becoming sluggish and inactive. Did you know that grasshoppers only start to hop when the sun warms them up? Additionally, certain insects that fly are not able to manoeuver their wings to lift them into the air when the temperature drops below a certain degree. 

How Hot Weather Affect Insects 

During the warm summer months insect activity increases and they become less sluggish. This applies to all climates except tropical areas. The reason for the increase in activity is because metabolic rates increase, increasing the need for feeding more, breeding and for surviving. This is the time when bugs start to invade gardens, paving, offices, places of work, homes and numerous other bricks and mortar structures as they surface from the long winter hibernation. 

The Song of Crickets and Warm Weather 

As the weather warms up, the sound of crickets chirping becomes more noticeable. The main reason for this is that there is a chemical reaction that takes place in crickets when it warms up and is referred to as Dolbear’s Law. These chirping crickets could measure the temperature and the frequency through the frequency of their chirping. Crickets can be used as a thermometer when applying this law. 

Bugs, Drought and Rain 

As is the case with humans, the lack of water or too much water does have a huge impact on bugs. During late summer when the weather becomes humid, flying ants make their appearance to find mates. This usually happens after heavy rainfall when the winged queens and male ants take flight and more ants join them in the wake of chemical scents left behind by other flying ants, forming swarms. 

Dry Weather and Insect Activity 

During periods of extreme drought, ants and other insects search for water by gravitating indoors. These little pests can become extremely problematic and the only effective way to get rid of them for once and for all time is by calling in expert pest control specialists, such as Mostert Pest Control. Trying to rid infestations of ants and other bugs using DIY methods can cost a lot over long periods, and in most instances, these methods are quite ineffective. 

There are, however, certain insect species that literally thrive in dry, hot climates. Locusts, crickets and grasshoppers thrive in these climates, destroying the crops of farmers. 

Wet Weather and Insect Activity 

Mosquitoes, the bane of our lives, thrive in wet weather.  Other insects that come out to play when the weather is wet include stink bugs, cockroaches and termites. 

Mosquitoes lay their eggs in pools of stagnant water. It should not come as a surprise, then, that mosquito activity increases exponentially when the rainy season arrives. 

Floods, on the other hand, force insects out of nests resulting in ant colonies and other insects to invade dwellings and other premises, seeking shelter. 

Our team of specialists at Mostert Pest Control will advise you on how best to keep pests and bugs in check as the weather starts to warm up. Trying to rid your property of ants’ nests, cockroaches, fleas, flies, mosquitoes, rats, mice and other pests is a difficult task and an expensive one. Put money back into your pocket by calling in the professionals the moment you suspect you have an infestation.