HOW INSECTS LOOK FOR SHELTER OR OVERWINTER IN LAS VEGAS

 There are two methods that insects and pests use to survive the winter in Las Vegas as well of the rest of the world. 

Some bugs, mice and rats will try to find a way into a house thru a crevice or a crack.  To eliminate the problem of having unwanted guests in your home you should inspect the outside of your home for entry points – like near utility pipes and cracks near the foundation.  If you find a crack – seal it up with a silicone based caulk.  Also use steel wool to fill larger holes.

You should also replace weather stripping or screen windows that might be cracked and Check to see if there are any openings under the doors that lead into your home – if so invest in some weather stripping to block entry.  Rodents and other pests that find their way into your home might make a nest in the walls near electric wires – rodents can chew on these wires and can cause an electrical fire.

Other insects go into overwinter mode by manipulating their metabolism and biochemistry to avoid freezing to death.  Some insects in Las Vegas survive the winter by taking on the temperature of the air around them.

All insects are coldblooded or in scientific terms exothermic – and in winter months they enter a resting stage called diapauses, known better as hibernation.  Their metabolism slows down and normal activity decreases.  This is triggered by the decreasing amount of sunlight. Insects move from trees down to crevices under logs and between rocks.

Freeze tolerant and freeze avoidant are the two methods of protection for insects during the winter months –.  For example the click beetle overwinters as larva under a log.  The carpenter ants cluster in a log and produce glycerol to prevent ice crystals forming in their bodies.  Freeze-avoidant insects go into super cooling mode by removing all food particles, dust and bacteria in their gut or inside their cells so the fluid in their bodies can’t solidify.

The insects that seek shelter from winter under or in a log often have company including spiders, snails and slugs – since they are in a state of suspended animation there is no fraternizing among them.

If you find signs of an infestation in your home- contact a pest control experts at once before the bugs or rodents damage your property.

GLOBAL PEST SERVICES in Las Vegas is a licensed pest control company that is qualified to handle all your pest elimination needs.  Call our office at 702-657-0091 or go to our web site- to speak with us for all your pest control needs.  Get a quote now!

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