What is the Impact of Weather on Pest Populations and How To Avoid Them?

If you've ever wondered why pest populations seem to magically grow just in the nick of time for the hottest, coldest, wettest, or driest days (at least from a homeowner's perspective), your suspicions are correct — weather does impact pests. But this doesn't mean you should panic when it looks like a steamy summer is headed your way or that an impending snowstorm means your houseplants will be doomed. 

Weather plays an interesting role in pest population. If you are a grower, you would be interested to know how weather affects pest population on your crops. You see, weather affects their behavior in many ways. In fact, knowing how weather affects the way pests behave is helpful for the effectiveness of pest control strategies. Let's look at it in detail.

How Does Cold Weather Affect Pests?

Bugs like cockroaches, flies, termites, and beetles often go into hiding during the winter months to escape the cold. During this time, they may hibernate in walls or underground where it's warmer. However, although many bugs disappear during the winter months, that doesn't mean you will never see them again. In fact, many of these pests come back in full force once spring arrives. This is because they have a very short life cycle — eggs hatch quickly, and within 30 days, a bug can go through its entire life cycle and produce more eggs. So even if your home is free of roaches in January, you might notice an infestation by March if you don't take steps to eliminate them during their downtime.

Here are some examples of overwintering methods for common pests:

• Ants burrow underground where it is warmer.

• Termites enter a form of hibernation inside their colonies.

• Cockroaches find shelter in the walls of homes and buildings.

• Mosquitoes lay eggs that can survive in water for up to five years.

How Does Warm Weather Affect Pests?

The warmer weather and longer days encourage more pests to come out of hiding. This is because they are able to find more food at this time. Pests will be looking for a place to hide, as well as food and water. They can find all of that in your home. Although you might not be seeing a lot of pests right now, this will change as the weather becomes warmer.

Not only are there more pests coming out during the summer, but they also breed more during this time. You definitely do not want to have a few pests growing into an infestation over the course of a month or two. You need to know what you're dealing with so that you can take action now before it gets worse.

• According to the experts at Terminix pest control, the best way to stop pests from taking over your home is through professional service.

• An exterminator can come out to your home and inspect the property, looking for signs of pests in areas that you might not think to look in yourself. 

• They can then determine what kind of action needs to be taken regarding pest control treatments and how often they need to be performed throughout the year.

How Does Raining Season or Monsoon Affect Pest?

Monsoon is a time when the pest population is at its peak. The reason is that monsoon brings the much-needed moisture and humidity to the environment, which helps these pests to thrive and multiply.

The pest population is likely to increase during the rainy season because of the following things:

• Moisture

Rainwater accumulates in small corners, cracks, and crevices on your property. This creates a humid environment that attracts and supports pests. The small puddles formed can also become breeding spots for mosquitoes and other insects. Also, drainage water can be a source of nutrients for insects, which makes it easier for them to breed and multiply.

• Temperature changes

Changes in temperature can affect insect behavior and their reproductive cycles. During monsoon, the temperature drops, and this creates an ideal environment for pests to thrive in your home or office.

Here are some tips to control pests during monsoon season:

• Use mosquito repellants and make sure they contain DEET or Picaridin

• Wear long-sleeved shirts and full pants when outdoors

• Fix leaking faucets and pipes indoors, as this creates a favorable condition for mosquitoes to breed

• Make sure that your home is clean and dry so that the germs do not spread

• Use fly repellant in your kitchen

• Keep trash cans covered and clean regularly

• Apply bed bug repellant on mattresses so that they do not invade your bedroom

Final Words

Weather does affect pest population growth and development. In fact, it is one of the most important factors that determine how much damage pests can cause. Predicting weather and its effects on the growth of pests is not an easy task, and it is not an exact science either. But, there are certain ways how you can do pest control throughout the year, and it is a challenge indeed, but can be done.