Warm winter doesn't mean a buggy spring

URBANA, Ohio (WDTN) - Many of us are feeling spring fever from the recent weather.  But are the bugs thinking it's spring as well?  It doesn't look like the bugs will be bugging us to much this spring. 

There are two ways insects winter over - the first is they stay below ground where the temperature stays steady.  The second is above ground in dead leaves and plants but has the mild weather been enough to wake them up. 

"The mild weather isn't going to have a big impact like we may think it will,"  says Jim Jasinski, Ohio State University Extension Agent. 

Inside Jim Jasinski's office the only bugs around are in display cases.  He carefully takes out this bug and tells me with our recent warm temperatures we don't have to worry about more bugs in the spring. 

Jasinski explains, "The chances of there being more or less of them isn't going to be very great." 

That's because insects don't die when the temperatures get too cold - they go into a adipose state.

"Which is similar to hibernating for bears they are in a very low energy state and can be frozen if it's cold enough or if it's warm they are ok.  they're still inactive and not using so much energy," says Jasinski. 

It takes two things to wake these bugs up - warmer temperatures and the length of day.  

Jasinski explains, "They don't see it like you and I do but they can sense dark and light.  18 hours dark 6 hours light they know that."

So even though the mild winter hasn't had too much of an impact on the bug population there may be other factors.  Like a wet spring.  It's something we'll have to wait and see what will happen this spring.