6 Causes of Large Pest Populations
Once spring rolls around, your chances of seeing an insect swarm or a large colony get very good in the southeast. Just like people, insects sometimes group together in large numbers. Their reasons for doing so vary from one bug to the next, but below are the top 5 reasons insects live in large populations.
Mating
Keeping the species going is a natural instinct for insects. Oftentimes when they swarm together they are doing so with the intent to reproduce. Some insects even use it as an opportunity to intermingle with other colonies. This is the reason gnats flutter together in a cloud. Females buzz about secreting a hormone that the male gnats can’t resist. They swarm around the females hoping for a chance to mate.
Termites are another insect that swarms indoors and outdoors for mating purposes. The reproductive caste in the colony will swarm together with queens to jumpstart the fertilization process.
Building Habitats
Ants are the perfect example of insects that have to work together to create a habitat. Colonies have thousands of ants, because that’s what is needed to maintain everything. Droves of worker ants dig out elaborate tunnels and build highways. Others ants march out to find food and bring it back to the colony. They work collectively as a whole to accomplish things they could never do on their own.
Food Consumption
Food is essential to survival, and insects that group together have the advantage of sharing food sources. For example, cockroaches leave scent trails for one another by secreting a chemical known as cuticular hydrocarbons.
Locusts are one of the best-known examples of insects that swarm when they eat. They greedily devour food consuming as much as they weigh every day. On the opposite end of the spectrum you have honeybees that work together to produce food.
Safety
The old saying “there’s safety in numbers” holds true for many insects, particularly social species. One benefit is that bugs are able to warn each other of dangers. The shelters they build together also offer additional safety, as does the swarms that get together to defend it.
This theory was proven during a study of Mormon crickets. Even though these crickets have been known to eat each other at times, individual crickets that were separated from the group didn’t fare so well. In just two days 50-60% of the separated crickets died while none of the crickets in the colony perished.
Socializing
It’s true that if you see a single cockroach there are probably many more behind the walls. That’s because cockroaches like to live together. Like most humans, many insect species enjoy socializing with one another. It’s also good for the development of the species. A 2012 study found that when left alone cockroaches had more difficulty doing vital activities such as mating and molting.
The Conditions That Create Large Insect Populations
Large pest colonies can show up anywhere, but typically they don’t pick spots at random. They find a spot where their large numbers have all the essentials for survival: food, water and shelter. If a colony has ready access to a constant supply of water and food they’ll set down roots.
Reproductive swarming is largely dependent on environmental conditions. They almost always occur in the spring and summer when the temperature is warm outside. Other environmental factors that can impact swarming include humidity, hours of sunlight and the wind.
If large populations of pests are threatening to take over your property Vulcan Termite and Pest Control Inc. can help you wipe out the entire colony. We’ve provided custom pest control treatments in Central Alabamafor more than 50 years. No matter how large or small your pest problem is our certified technicians can handle the job.
Original Source: https://www.vulcantermite.com/seasonalpests/6-causes-of-large-pest-populations/