On winter holidays
Some insects overwinter on an alternative, often woody, winter host plant. For example, fruit aphids spend the summer on a number of herbaceous plants, but are considered pests of garden fruit trees and shrubs, their winter and spring hosts. Most species overwinter as eggs, laid in crevices in the bark and near the buds.
Pests such as pink apple aphid (Dysaphis plantaginea) and plum leafroll aphid (Brachycaudus helichrysi) can be controlled in winter by using a winter wash with vegetable oil to kill the eggs.
Conversely, the black bean aphid (Aphis fabae) is a widespread pest of summer plant hosts, which include beans and some ornamentals. Dense colonies form on young, soft plants. The pest spends the winter as eggs laid on shrubs such as viburnum, Philadelphia and euonymus, and the winged adults migrate in May.
Do ants store supplies for the winter?
Almost all wintering ants make reserves for the winter. Such eggs are a kind of canned protein for insects.
They do not die, but, like adults, fall into torpor (diapause) during periods of severe cold. Ants living in regions with a mild climate, where even in winter it would be possible to come to the surface, begin to intensively hatch larvae and stock up, just like their northern counterparts.
It's no secret that these insects live even in the northern tundra. Naturally, in this case, polar ants enter a state of diapause. They do not move and do not need food. The colony may seem extinct, because in a frozen anthill it is easy to see the frozen bodies of ants, their queen, and even larvae. New larvae appear in the anthill, and the life of the colony continues.
Many species are very fond of the sweet secretions of aphids. To do this, they transfer small insects to the chamber of the anthill, where they are kept as pets for some time. Insects living in an anthill can be ordinary parasites. The substance is secreted by both adult Lomechusa and its larvae, which grow together with ants.
Before the onset of cold weather, female flies make their last clutches of eggs. However, those larvae that did not have time to turn into insects do not die, but fall asleep. Those flies that live in fields, vegetable gardens and orchards also hibernate. The surviving flies begin to come to life as the weather warms up.
Of course, many insects go to winter. Some simply go into hibernation for several months, and some carefully prepare for winter, because without this their species will simply die out.
Ladybugs overwinter in a state of diapause.
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Insects that don't sleep
Damaged lawn
Not all insects become inactive during the winter months, and there are some that are especially harmful at this time of year. Larvae, particularly the larvae of the May beetle (Phyllopertha horticola), Welsh chafer (Hoplia philanthus) and weevil (Otiorhynchus sulcatus) are pests of lawns. The aforementioned beetle larvae feed on grass roots from autumn to spring, and weevil larvae feed on the roots of a wide range of plants during the same period.
Adult moths, pests of fruit trees such as the winter moth (Operophtera brumata), spotted yellow moth (Erannis defoliaria) and March butterfly (Alsophila aescularia), are also active during the winter. The wingless females emerge from the soil between November and April to lay eggs in the branches. They can be easily controlled by applying grease strips and barrier adhesive to the trunks between fall and spring.
Other known winter pests include; greenish spruce aphid (Elatobium abietinum), a sucking insect that causes needles to fall on spruce trees (Picea spp.); slugs that remain active at temperatures above 5°C; and the elongated cushion moth (Pulvinaria floccifera), a pest of evergreen trees and shrubs, which becomes especially noticeable in winter when sooty mold grows on the honeydew secreted by overwintering nymphs.
It's also easy to forget about pests of indoor and greenhouse plants, such as mealy bugs, greenhouse whiteflies (Trialeurodes vaporariorum) and scale insects, which can be active year-round. Washing pots and trays after use, cleaning the greenhouse, and inspecting new plants will prevent infestations from developing.
In the soil
Pests prefer their natural habitat - the ground - for hibernation. All they need is to bury themselves deeper, because the soil usually freezes to a certain point. Larvae and some adults hide in fallen leaves, so it is better for gardeners and gardeners to remove them in the fall. There are also pests that are not easy to get hold of: the Colorado potato beetle goes 25 cm deep, and the mole cricket goes 2 m deep! At this depth, it is practically not in danger of freezing, and the insect can live up to 3.5 years.
In reservoirs
Pesky mosquitoes overwinter in stagnant water, but only in the larval stage. They are known to fishermen and aquarists as bloodworms - a cheap and tasty food for fish. Red-red worms burrow into the bottom silt in order to rise to the surface of the water as the weather warms. The larvae of mayflies, stoneflies, and caddisflies love this environment and live in it. And the dragonfly larva even has gills to live in a liquid environment. The swimming beetle can remain active until the river is covered with ice, after which it also buries itself in the mud until spring.
With the onset of cold weather, a huge number of insects die. But their adaptability is so great that by the new season they quickly multiply and again fill almost the entire environment.
Everyone well remembers Krylov’s famous fable about the unlucky dragonfly, whose happy days have come to an end. In fact, nature is not stupid: many insects hibernate after a warm period in order to wake up in the spring. There are several places where insects hide in winter. Under the bark of trees, the older the tree and the more loose its wood, the more six-legged winterers […]
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Mosquitoes and flies
These annoying insects prepare for winter just like butterflies. In autumn, they look for a warm place to sleep and survive the cold. But flies and mosquitoes, if possible, try to get closer to people. Instead of a pile of leaves, they have basements, cellars, sheds and even residential buildings.
It is interesting that only females, eggs and pupae overwinter in mosquitoes - the males die before the onset of cold weather. The same situation applies to wasps and hornets.
In the soil
Pests prefer their natural habitat - the ground - for hibernation. All they need is to bury themselves deeper, because the soil usually freezes to a certain point. Larvae and some adults hide in fallen leaves, so it is better for gardeners and gardeners to remove them in the fall. There are also pests that are not easy to get hold of: the Colorado potato beetle goes 25 cm deep, and the mole cricket goes 2 m deep! At this depth, it is practically not in danger of freezing, and the insect can live up to 3.5 years.
Scientists' alarm
Over the past few decades, experts have come to the conclusion that a huge number of butterflies are leaving their natural habitat. They fly to big cities. This is due to the fact that urban objects emit heat, which attracts lepidoptera. They settle in basements, on the roofs of houses and factories. Due to the fact that the butterfly does not fall into suspended animation, it soon dies. These facts worry scientists more and more.
Butterflies bring enormous benefits to the flora world. They are in second place in plant pollination after bees! Did you know that a butterfly only tastes food when it stands on it?! The thing is that the taste buds of lepidopterans are on their paws!
Our article has come to an end. You learned where butterflies and mosquitoes hide for the winter, as well as what happens to insects during the cold season.
