Where Do Insects Go in the Winter and What Makes Them Emerge Early?

Summer has insects buzzing all around us, but as the chill of winter sets in, suddenly, like magic, these insects disappear.

The mystical answer as to the fate of insects in the winter isn’t so simple. Some survive as eggs, larvae or pupae, while others endure the winter as full-grown adults.

Some, like dragonflies and butterflies will spread their wings and migrate south, much like many birds do.

Some insects find different types of shelters to survive the cold temperatures, such as wall voids in homes or some burrow deep into the soil to escape the cold.

Some, such as the Emerald Ash Borer, enter a state of hibernation, called diapause, which is a semi-frozen state and they stay that way until they thaw out in the spring.

Many insects actually do die out in the winter, but leave behind eggs, which brings about a whole new generation in the springtime.

Sometimes, even in the early months of the year, we see a pleasant (but typically temporary) warm up in our temperatures. This slight rise in temperature can make some insects emerge from their hiding places. Insects such as spiders, ants and even box elder bugs may be suddenly seen in indoor dwellings. These are not necessarily new infestations being made, but more likely insects emerging from the previous season.