Warm winter may result in more pests this year

USA TODAY had a front page article on Feb 24, 2012 regarding whether or not the warm winter will result in more bugs this Spring and Summer. It got me thinking, because I get asked this question quite often. The question has a lot of merit. Most winter seasons (at least in the Kansas City area) get down below freezing several times. This would have a negative effect on most insects and spiders because they lay eggs and the eggs only hatch out under good environmental conditions. Just one freeze that killed one egg sac would result in tens or hundreds of immature insects hatching out. Now, multiply that by millions of different species of egg sacs around the entire geographical area. Since all those egg sacs were saved from the freezing conditions this year, it seems plausible that this will be a very “buggy” year. Many of the pests we deal with, primarily live inside, like Brown Recluse spiders, silverfish and Indian meal moths. Those would probably not be affected. However, insects like ants, termites, crickets and millipedes that live primarily outside, will be thriving this year. This is not meant to put a scare in anybody. But, if you are one to treat your home periodically for pests, you probably have a better chance of getting a grip on them if you treat a little earlier this year.