Where Do Bugs Go in the Winter in Middle Georgia?

December 15, 2024

While we gripe and complain about the incredible heat and humidity of our Middle Georgia summers, the upside to living in a place with such inhospitable summers means we usually get to enjoy a very mild winter without the constant snows, ice, and polar temps that our neighbors to the north have to tolerate every year.

That doesn’t mean, however, that we don’t experience winter conditions. Around November of every year, our temps start to drop and usually don’t start to warm up again until the coming of spring in late March and early April. When cold weather hits, we break out our winter sweaters and retreat indoors where a fireplace or good old central heating can keep away the chill.

But what happens to insects, arachnids, and other small critters that can’t put on a fleece jacket and keep on trucking through the cold months? In some cases, they go into dormancy; in others, they lay eggs and die off, leaving a new generation to be born as soon as the temperatures climb again. In most cases, though, they do the same thing we do: get inside where it’s warm.

In this month’s article, we’re looking at where bugs go in the winter and some ways you can keep your home from becoming a winter home for dozens of different pests.

Where Do Bugs Go in the Winter?

Just as there are millions of types of bugs in the world, there are countless ways these tiny creatures survive the colder months of the year. Most insects and arachnids use some variation on one of these biological or behavioral processes to survive the winter.

Migration

Just like birds, many types of insects are migratory. When the temperatures start to drop, they move to a warmer location until temps begin to climb again. Monarch butterflies are famous for their mass migrations each year, but plenty of other insects have adopted the same strategy.

Diapause or Dormancy

Diapause is a sort of “suspended animation” that some insects are capable of entering. When temperatures drop below that of their preferred environment, these insects enter a dormant state and literally pause their development. During diapause, these insects dramatically decrease their metabolic functions and are able to survive remarkably harsh conditions.

Hibernation

Not quite as dramatic as diapause, some insects enter hibernation over the winter. These insects allow their body temperatures to decrease to a point where metabolic functions are slowed and enter a long sleep, usually burrowed in the ground or into another comfortable location. Georgia’s most famous hibernators are the periodic cicadas, who sleep underground for thirteen years before emerging en masse to reproduce.

Generational Survival

Some insects don’t attempt to survive the winter. Instead, they lay eggs just before the weather cools down and then die off. Their eggs gestate during the winter months, and a new generation of bugs emerges in the spring or early summer.

Moving In With Humans

For other insects, the easiest way to survive the winter is to move into a convenient house or apartment and enjoy the same warmth and protection as the home’s human occupants. These are the pests that most homes experience during the winter months. In some cases—ladybugs, non-venomous spiders, and others—this is perfectly harmless. In others, the wintertime invaders are bothersome, unpleasant, or even dangerous.

How to Keep Winter Bugs Out of Your Middle Georgia Home

Your home is there to keep you comfortable all year long, not provide shelter for unwanted insects and arachnids. There are several steps you can take to help prevent your home from becoming a wintertime Club Med for pests:

Seal Out the Winter Bugs (And Winter Chill!)

In the winter, any cracks, gaps, or holes in your home can let in two things that need to stay outside: bugs and frigid air. Before the temps drop to winter levels each year, perform a thorough inspection of your home’s walls, doors, windows, and foundation to ensure that all cracks and crevices are closed off. Use screening, caulk, or sealant to close off pests’ access to your home.

Clean Up the Yard

Without grass to mow, we often let our yards get a little unkempt over the winter months. But all the leaves and leaf litter on your lawn provide exceptional insulation for insects. Everything from stink bugs to cockroaches can find shelter in your leaf-strewn lawn – and if they’re finding refuge in the yard, some of them will inevitably make their way inside in search of food and water. Raking up the leaves and other debris in your yard makes it a little less inviting for bothersome pests.

Watch Your Woodpiles

If you have a fireplace, fire pit, or wood-burning stove, you probably have at least a small stockpile of seasoned, slow-burning firewood somewhere in your yard. That stack of cured hardwood will make for a cozy fire one cold winter’s evening, but insects in the vicinity might find it a comforting home for now. If you have firewood on site, make sure that it’s not stacked against or near the house. This move may mean you need to take a few extra steps to bring in the wood, but it also means that termites and other destructive insects don’t turn your winter fuel into a way to get into your home.

Call the Professionals

If winter bugs are turning your cold-weather refuge into their cold-weather shelter, it may be time to call a professional. Your pest control team can evaluate your pest situation and provide the right solutions to help keep your home free from bugs year-round.

Enjoy a Cozy and Bug-Free Winter! Let National Exterminating Protect Your Middle Georgia Home or Business. Call us at 478-922-1410.

Your Middle Georgia home or business needs a pest control partner and termite service you can trust. National Exterminating is ready to earn that trust with our exceptional customer service and cutting-edge pest control solutions. Call us today at 478-922-1410.