As the temperatures finally begin to cool, we take a look back at all the wonderful creepy crawlers that joined us for the warmer months, and say a fond farewell for the cold months to come...
Which made me wonder...where do bugs go in the winter time?
Many bugs survive the winter months as young larvae, eggs, nymphs or pupae...
.. but some do make it through the winter as adults. Among these are some of our favorites, including... bees! Honey bees stay warm by consuming up to 30lbs of honey, and by fanning the heat from the oxidized honey around with their wings in the hive...
Lady Bird beetles, aka Lady bugs, also stay warm by getting cozy with their friends...
... and even some butterflies like the Mourning Cloak Butterfly (not pictured above), find ways to stay put and stay warm by hiding out in tree holes. I also found out another very cool way they stay warm, by conserving on water and by building up glycerol, which acts as a natural antifreeze!
The most common thing bugs do though, is the insect form of hibernation called diapause.
...want to see where all the bugs go in the winter?
Take a look in a pile of leaves, or turn over a rotting log...
... and make sure and tell them sweet dreams from us!
-Jordan
P.S. Don't forget to enter the giveaway for an amazing Eco-Friendly Crafts Book Here!
*Last time in Nature: Stop, Look and Listen
