The mysterious winter hideaways of bugs, explained by scientists.
Bugs don’t just do a disappearing act in the winter: some can tolerate extremely harsh, cold conditions.
One of their most common winter survival strategies, called diapause, allows mosquitoes and black ants to slow down their metabolism when it gets cold – temporarily freezing their development.
Some caterpillars burrow under leaves and become frozen icicles, thawing out in the spring.
Those who aren’t winter warriors hunker down and rely on their fellow bugs (or humans) for seasonal warmth, or fly to warmer spots.
It’s not like bugs can just turn on the heater, zip up a fluffy parka, or tuck in to a warm cup of cocoa to stay warm in the winter.
The truth is that bugs have many different ways to make it through the winter alive.
Some simply fly to warmer spots. Others burrow into logs, hiding away in insulated nooks with hundreds of their friends to wait for warmer days.
Tech: Bugs survive the winter through a trick straight out of science fiction
