Insects are cold-blooded, so their activity is directly tied to temperature. As the weather warms, their metabolism speeds up, they come out of dormancy, and breeding cycles kick into gear.
Warmer weather literally wakes pests up, and you’re probably not happy about that. Because it seems like whenever the weather takes a turn for the better, all the bugs start showing up at once. Knowing why this happens can help you understand how to get the best results out of your pest control.
Most insects survive winter by entering a dormant state called diapause. Their metabolism slows to almost nothing, and they hunker down in soil, leaf litter, under bark, or inside the walls of your home. They're not dead. They're waiting.
As temps rise—and stay—in the 40s and 50s, pests’ bodies respond. Their metabolism increases, movement resumes, and the search for food and mates begins anew. This is why you see ants suddenly appearing in your kitchen and ticks questing on tall grass during the first warm stretch of spring.
Temperature also controls breeding. Mosquitoes need standing water and warmth to complete their lifecycle. Once both conditions are met, populations can explode. A female mosquito can lay 100 to 200 eggs at a time, and the entire lifecycle from egg to adult takes about 10 to 14 days in warm weather.
There’s also a hunger factor. Insects that overwintered indoors, like cluster flies and stink bugs, used up their energy reserves and are now looking for a way out and a meal. Ticks that survived the winter are actively seeking a blood meal to fuel their next reproductive cycle.
If you live by the lakes of Moultonborough, there are plenty of reasons to be extra attentive to pests. The waterfront, wooded areas, and seasonal homes (unoccupied for large swaths of the winter) are all good places for pests to call home. Plus, standing water from snowmelt and leaf litter in shaded areas give outdoor pests a running start too.
All that works together to result in a lot of pest activity, all at once.
If you’re a Moultonborough homeowner who wants to get ahead of spring pest emergence, Mosquito Squad of New Hampshire Lakes Region can help. With early-season barrier treatments, you can greatly reduce mosquitoes, ticks, and other outdoor pests by up to 85-90%. Starting treatments before populations peak gives you a head start on season-long protection.
