![]() ![]() Heat energy is produced by the oxidation of the honey, and circulated throughout the hive by the wing-fanning of worker bees. ![]() The consumption of up to 30 pounds of stored honey during the winter months makes this possible. Honeybees have been studied during the winter and are found to remain semi-active in hollow trees through the generation of body heat. Blankets of snow benefit insects by insulating the ground and keeping the temperature surprisingly constant. One kind of fly is known by fishermen to be present in certain galls in winter, and the fly larvae are consequently used as fish-bait. Among these niches are under the soil, inside the wood of logs and trees, and even in plant galls. Many insects can gain shelter and nourishment through the winter in a variety of micro-habitats. In general, insects are able to survive cold temperatures easiest when the temperatures are stable, not fluctuating through alternate thaws and freezes. They also are able to raise the temperature by vibrating wing muscles. Honey bees stay in hives during the winter, and form clusters when temperatures fall. As in some insect larvae, it reduces the water content of its body, and builds up glycerol which acts as an antifreeze. The Mourning Cloak Butterfly is usually the first butterfly that is noticed in the Spring, and this is because it hibernates in tree holes or other shelters during the winter. Tree holes, leaf litter, and under logs and rocks are common shelters for overwintering adult insects. Many large wasps seek shelter in the eaves and attics of houses or barns. Lady bird beetles are a well-known example, and are sometimes seen in great numbers in the fall as they congregate at high elevations. Hibernation as Adults. Many insects hibernate as adults. Moths in the Silkworm Family, Saturniidae, may be found attached to food plant branches as pupae in the winter. Overwintering as Pupae. Some insects overwinter in the pupal stage, then emerge as adults in the spring. The most prominent insects in this category are Praying Mantids, and the destructive Corn Rootworms also engage in this strategy. Overwintering as Eggs. Lesser numbers of insects lay eggs which survive the winter. ![]() They feed actively and grow all winter to emerge as adults in early spring. Overwintering as Nymphs. Not many insects are active in the winter, but the nymphs of dragonflies, mayflies and stoneflies live in waters of ponds and streams, often beneath ice. The protection of heavy covers of leaf litter or similar shelters protect the woolly bear caterpillar, while other insects replace the water in their bodies with glycerol, a type of antifreeze! Some grubs simply burrow deeper into the soil to escape the cold. Overwintering as Larvae. Many insects successfully pass the winter as immature larvae. Crop pests are the most obvious of these migrants. The Monarch Butterfly is the foremost example of this maneuver, but other insects migrate into northern areas from the southern states in the Spring. Migration is one strategy for escaping the killing temperatures. Insects have a variety of methods for surviving the coldness of winter. ![]() Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, African Art. ![]()
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