East Texans should expect insects’ return after hard freeze

EAST TEXAS (KLTV/KTRE) - While the warmer East Texas temperatures may feel good to us, it could mean the return of some unwanted guests on your property.

We’re talking about bugs.

With a bone chilling Christmas week hard freeze, the last thing East Texans would be thinking of is insects. Or would we?

“The weather warms up, so does the reproductive rates for insects. And with that comes the metabolic increase, which means they need to eat more,” says Jared Lundmark of Jennings pest control.

During the height of the freeze with temperatures in the teens, ants were seen crawling up the wall of one Wood county home.

“They’re going to try to get into your home for the shelter, the moisture water aspect,” Lundmark says.

“The colder it gets, the less active they are, the hotter it gets, the more activity. When it gets low like it did, all they do is go into hibernation mode and seek shelter,” says Brandon Ryon of ABC Home & Commercial Services.

A common misconception is that a prolonged hard freeze will kill insects even if they’re dormant. Not true.

“Insects are cold blooded. So that’s a big misconception. There’s no truth to it at all,” Jared says.

As the temperature rises, a good indicator of insects being active are bees, like today.

“When it gets warm just like any other insect, they’ll start moving around more. And when it gets cold they’ll go back to their colony and keep each other warm. You’re definitely going to see more activity. 70 degrees is like that golden area,” Ryon says.

They are there. So the colder, even though we may not like it, the better.

Ryon says, if they winter stays in it’s normal pattern, the low temperatures will keep the insects dormant until usually the middle of March.

That’s when homeowners should begin pest control measures.

But an early Spring with higher temperatures could mean earlier treatment for pests, including termites.

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