The extremely cold weather Texas has experienced recently won’t have much effect on insect populations this spring, according to one Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service integrated pest management specialist.
Insects have three main strategies for dealing with the cold: freeze tolerance, freeze avoidance and migration, Efran Vafaie said. Environmental cues are involved in insects that have freeze tolerance.
Some entomologists believe a colder winter may reduce the populations of mosquito species that carry the West Nile virus during the following summer, according to AgriLife Today. Even when harsh winters cause a decline in survival numbers, nature has a way of adjusting.
“Due to the relatively short generation time of some of our biggest pests, like aphids, whiteflies and mites, their populations can grow exponentially even if winter survival is low,” Vafaie said.