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Stink bug sightings are on the rise. In winter, they tend to move indoors to wait for the cold weather. Credit: (John Slaney / Flickr), CC BY-NC-SA
It's that time of the year when you're in the mood for a crisp autumn, when your eyes are filled with spells.
We may welcome the pitter-patter of trick-or-treaters knocking at our doors, but there are also unexpected and unappreciated guests sneaking into our homes: stink bugs, ladybugs and other insects.
What draws these creepy crawlers into our kitchen cupboards, and to the space beneath our furniture?
Not just are becoming colder, but days are getting shorter. Insects detect and respond to these temperatures and light cues in preparation for winter. It's an essential adaptive response since these insects are not able to cope with the cold.
Insects take on some of the most creative survival strategies. As the leader of the Stink Bug Project, I've seen how the invasive brown marmorated stink bug has overcome the challenges of our colder climate. Moving indoors during the winter has spread across North America.
Head south gold stick it out
Some insects, like monarch butterflies, pack up and migrate to warmer climates. Others stick around and brave it through the winter.
Those that can survive can be referred to a type of hibernation referred to as diapause. These insects burrow into leaf litter, under loose bark and in some cases at the bottom of ponds or lakes that do not completely freeze over.
The banded woolly bear caterpillar produces antifreeze that protects its organs and soft tissues in the winter. Credit: (Mike Keeling / flickr), CC BY-ND
The bodies of these insects will engage in biochemical changes. For example, some of these outdoor-dwelling insects may be able to resist freezing to death by producing antifreeze in their bloodstream and preventing them from forming in their body. whole.
Remarkably, some insects such as the woolly bear caterpillar are able to freeze during the winter as they tolerate the formation of ice crystals in their body. They accomplish this feat by using alcohol-based molecules in their bodies. This strategy causes minimal damage to their cell membranes and cells as a whole.
Then there are the insects like the brown marmorated stink that adapt to cold temperatures by seeking shelter in human-made structures. This can include hiding in our garages, sheds, and perhaps most disturbing, in our very own homes.
Roommates Insect
It's not uncommon to find an occasional insect or spider crawling around in our homes. Towards the fall, it becomes more likely that you will be in your hands. As winter sets in, these insects tend to stay put and remain inside.
Western conifer seed bugs, box elder bugs, ladybugs, cluster flies, stink bugs and many others like to move into our homes for the winter. As they do, they often secrete chemical signals called pheromones to their home counterparts hibernation party.
It can be quite scary for homeowners to come across a large mass of insects that have set up shop for the winter. I have visited a number of places where you have been stuck bugs tucked away under a sofa in the sun porch.
While these insects are unlikely to be a problem during the winter months, they are likely to become more commonplace, and when the temperature and sunlight break the insect's diapause.
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Ladybugs overwintering in a window frame. Credit: Gilles San Martin / flickr, CC BY-SA
That 's when they' re insuring their life cycle in the more pleasant spring and summer seasons. As a result, it's pretty typical to see your dreams.
No vacancy
As we head to winter, homeowners can minimize the number of fall invaders by engaging in a few proactive home checks.
One of the most important things that a homeowner can do to be sure that any cracks or crevices on the exterior are filled. Check for spaces along the roof, doors, windows and siding panels, around any wire or cable that extend indoors, and install insect screening on attic winds.
While it may still be possible that some of these cold-avoiding insects will make it indoors, these preventative measures should be significantly reduced to the number of unwanted insect house guests.
Insects, however, are incredible organisms. They deal with the challenges of engaging in a variety of strategies that include, in the simplest of ways, seeking refuge in a cozy home.
If you have been alerted to the problem of insects in our homes, it is certainly quite possible that our winter roommates are here to stay.
And remember the next time you're home on a chilly autumn night, it's unlikely that you're ever alone!
Explore further:
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