Biology
Title: Where do bugs (insects) go in the winter?
Information: According to "Bug Info," published by the National Museum of Natural History and the Smithsonian Institution, "Insects have a variety of methods for surviving the coldness of winter." These include: migration, overwintering as larvae, eggs, nymphs, or pupae, and hibernation as adults. They survive best when temperatures don't change very much. Lots of snow can actually help bugs by creating a blanket of insulation that keeps the ground from freezing and thawing throughout the winter. For more information, check out the "Bug Info" page, prepared by the Entomology section of the Dept. of Systematic Biology.http://www.si.edu/resource/faq/nmnh/buginfo/winter.htm Other good websites for learning about bugs are listed below. Go to NSDL's homepage athttp://www.nsdl.org and "browse" the NSDL Collections. Check under the main heading, "Science, as well as the subcategories: "Biological and life sciences," "Biology" and "Entomology," (which is the study of insects.) You could also try searching the NSDL Collections by clicking on the "Search" tab and typing "insect" in the search box. The Animal Diversity Web: Class Insecta--Provides information, pictures, sounds and classification of insects with links to several groups. http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Insecta.html "Amazing Insects"--Click on "All About Insects" for general facts and explanations of the stages of larva, pupa and egg. There are more good links to sites at the bottom of this page. http://www.ivyhall.district96.k12.il.us/4th/kkhp/1insects/bugmenu.html A Google search http://www.google.com) on the terms, insect FAQ winter, brings back some good results too. Here are a few of them. "Winter Survival Strategies of Insects"-- Bonnie Ennis, Colorado State University Cooperative Extension agent, horticulture, provides a good explanation of how bugs "stay warm in the winter." http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/CoopExt/4DMG/Pests/winter.htm "Frequently Asked Questions About Insects"--University of California, Dept. of Entomology lists some common questions and answers about specific insects, such as "Asian ladybugs" and "Carpenter Bees." http://entmuseum.ucr.edu/bugfaq.html "FAQ's on Mosquitoes" - From "Entomology at Rutgers" in New Jersey, this page answers questions about mosquitoes, including "Where do Mosquitoes go in the winter?" http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~insects/mosfaq.htm Thank you for an interesting question. Be sure to check with school librarian or your public library if you would like more information on bugs and how they get through the winter. The AskNSDL Staff
Category: Biology