Man oh man, it is hot outside. We sure do mind the heat, but do insects? Yes and no. The heat means some good things for some insects and others prefer to flee to cooler environments, like the interior of your home. But why and how do insects thrive and endure in the heat of the summer? Buzz Kill Pest Control helps you understand why they’re trying to get inside and when they’re most active.
What Does Summer Heat Mean For Pests?
Insects are cold-blooded. What this means is that when it is hot outside, they are nice and warm. Many insects actually thrive in the heat, like mosquitoes. The heat gives them more energy to search for food and reproduce. All of the warmth can mean an increase in the insect population, decrease in time between generations of insects, and even lower production of crops due to increased insect activity and numbers.
Heat provides extra food sources in plant life and other insects. The predatory insects will not have to work hard to find dinner. Ants and flies will be abundant in hot weather. Some insects enjoy the added smorgasbord found in outdoor garbage cans, like fruit rinds and other insects to prey upon. Add any moisture to the warm weather and the insects are even happier. Mosquitoes breed in standing water. Dragonflies and mayflies also love water.
Extreme Temperatures
Extreme temperatures can drive pests into your home. Because there is more insect activity in the summer, people often report having bugs indoors. Sometimes it is because the insect is seeking shelter from the heat. In other instances, it is simply that the bug came in and can’t get out, like house flies. Insects will change their typical behavior when temperatures reach extremes and that is when you will see more pests indoors.
Natural Ways Pests Stay Cool
Shrubbery around the home provides a perfect shelter for creeping and flying insects. The shrubs offer shade from direct sunlight for the pests, or for some, leaves provide a food source.
Insects have physiological tactics to conserve water in hot and drought conditions. Some have a waxy exoskeleton, while others absorb moisture from the air. Certain pests can excrete dry pellets to conserve the water in their bodies. Most insects restrict moisture loss by means of a cuticular lipid layer. The lipid layer restricts water movement in their bodies. Another amazing aspect of insect life is that when insects feel the stress of high temperatures on their bodies, they increase the production of heat-shock proteins. These proteins help to maintain proper cellular function.
Insects Are More Active During Morning And Evening
Have you ever noticed that insect activity is increased in the morning and evening during the summer months? These little pests often rest during the hottest part of the day, getting their nourishment in the morning and evening hours when the sun is less intense.
One other reason you may notice more insects in the summer months is migration. When the temperatures reach extremes in some areas near the equator, insects will migrate north until they find a climate they are comfortable with.
Keep Pests Out Of Your Home All Summer
We can’t avoid the added number of insects during the summer months. In fact, we must admit that we enjoy the chirp of a cricket on a warm summer night, the leap of a grasshopper around our feet, the flutter of a butterfly or the glimmer of a lightning bug. Those other pesky pests that “bug” us in the summer months are called pests for a reason. If you have a bug problem in your home or yard during the summer months, it is best to call a pest professional to identify what and where your problem is. Then a pro can treat your home and yard as necessary. This will allow you to enjoy your time by the pool or barbequing on the deck, listening to the crickets, and collecting those fireflies.
If you’re having trouble with pests in your home this summer be sure to contact Buzz Kill Pest Control today. They have dispatch locations in Fort Worth, Dallas, and North Richland Hills, and serve the entire Dallas-Fort Worth area. Don’t waste another minute trying to rid your home of pests yourself, reach out to the extermination professionals who are here to help!