North Texas is somewhat famous for our expansive and diverse collection of bugs that appear during our warm season. However, during winter months, this problem seems to reduce greatly or even disappear entirely. However, just because the bugs seem to have disappeared outside doesn’t mean they’re really gone. While some bugs survive winter by going dormant or hibernating, other species are still around fighting through winter in their own ways. Unfortunately, that may mean taking shelter in your grass or in your plants and bushes around.

Here are five types of pests that don’t go dormant in the winter months and that you should continue to treat for in order to protect your home and property from a bug outbreak.

Spiders

We start with one that is a bit of a trick-entry because it’s only partially true. While some spiders do persist throughout winter, some species do hibernate during winter. So while the spider population might decrease during winter, it won’t ever fully go away. Spiders will typically look to survive through winter months using whatever protection is available, and in many cases that protection comes from dormant lawns. Specifically, many species of spider that are colored similar to dormant grass will use this increased natural camouflage to not only evade predators, but to also hunt what little food is available during this period.

Flies

Flies are a staple of summer, particularly around garbage cans, picnics, and garden beds. However, as a species, they generally can’t survive freezing temperatures that are not all that uncommon in North Texas winters. Because they don’t go dormant, they need to find some sort of a source of shelter that will also provide them with reasonable access to food in order to get through these difficult months. Your home typically provides both food and shelter, and this is why you may see a surprising uptick in flies in your home during winter months.

Ants

Ant colonies do slow their activity during winter months, but they would not survive if they were to go completely dormant. Therefore, they don’t actually “go to sleep” as it might seem. While different species of ants will do different things, most will survive by slowing their activity to almost a non-existent crawl until the weather warms up again. Other species will almost exclusively operate in their deeper tunnels and caverns, where temperatures are far more consistent and the elements can’t really get to them. These ants will still generally operate at a slower pace, but will continue to create anthills on your property.

Termites

Termites are active year-round, changing only a few activities during the winter months. When temperatures dip, workers will tend to hunt for food closer to their colony in order to minimize exposure and allow for it to be collected quicker. However, termites will also often dig new tunnels to explore for subterranean food or sources of warmth during winter temperatures, and homes often provide shelter and warmth in abundance. Submerged hot water lines are a big draw for termites during winter months, and homes or businesses with underground spaces like basements also significantly warm the soil around them. This draws termites in and can cause an uptick in termite damage during winter months.

Fleas

Finally, fleas do not go dormant during wintertime. However, much like ants, they also cannot survive during freezing temperatures, and this makes outdoor temperatures inhospitable on several nights throughout every winter season. Instead, fleas ramp up their search for a host and do everything they can to try and establish a nice, warm place to live. This is why you should make sure you continue to treat your pets for fleas in the months of December through February. Likewise, cold temperatures do not kill off flea eggs. Instead, they simply slow the life cycle to a crawl and delay their hatching for a while (typically until spring when temperatures warm up again).

Keep your yard pest-free this winter with ongoing treatments from the team at Purple Care! Dial (817) 880-6052 now to schedule an appointment.