How Do Bugs Survive Winter?
Early December brought the coldest weather of the season to Eastern Massachusetts. On December 5, 2025, Boston’s weather forecast showed a morning low temperature of 11 degrees, the coldest weather since March. With the below-freezing temperatures, pests need to seek shelter just as people do. While this can sometimes be underground, below the frostline, it can also lead them to seek shelter in warm structures, such as homes and commercial buildings.
Do Bugs Die in the Winter?
Most bugs don’t simply die off in the winter. Instead, they just hide from the cold winter temperatures. Soil-dwelling insects go deeper into the soil during the winter, below the frostline. These types of pests include:
- Ants
- Subterranean termites
- Ground beetles
- June beetles
- Grubs, including Japanese beetle grubs
- Burrowing bugs
Other types of pests seek shelter elsewhere. Honey Bees, for example, seek shelter in their hives during the cold winter months, tightly clustering to generate heat and living off their stored honey. Mosquitoes seek shelter in hollow logs or animal burrows, their eggs in standing water that may freeze. Insects, including eggs, overwintering go into diapause, an inactive state when their development is stopped until better conditions arrive in spring.
But, some pests may find their way into your home or business during the fall to overwinter. warm structures or damp areas of the home. Wood roaches and stink bugs are two insects that cluster and congregate in cracks to overwinter and may end up inside. Other cockroaches, for example, are commensal and live with people in homes and businesses year round, particularly in areas prone to moisture like kitchens, bathrooms, and basements. Pests like spiders may also make their way into your home or business in the winter while tracking prey.
While there are preventative measures you can take to protect your home before the winter, there are also ways to identify and exterminate pests in the middle of winter when problems arise.
Do You Need Pest Control in the Winter?
Yes, winter pest control remains essential for Massachusetts homeowners and business owners. While outdoor pest activity decreases during cold months, indoor infestations can actually intensify as insects and rodents seek warmth and shelter inside heated structures.
Winter creates unique pest control challenges. Pests that have already established themselves indoors before the first freeze will remain active throughout the season, reproducing and expanding their populations in the comfort of your heated space. Common winter pests include house mice, rats, cockroaches, spiders, and overwintering insects that entered through small cracks and gaps in your building’s exterior. As we get into January and the days get longer, ant and termite activity on the south and west sides of your home may become active on warm days.
Signs You Need Winter Pest Control
Several warning signs indicate you need professional pest control services during winter months:
- Droppings or shed skins in kitchens, basements, or attics suggest active rodent or insect populations. Mouse droppings resemble small dark grains of rice, while cockroach droppings appear as dark specks or smears.
- Gnaw marks on food packaging, cardboard boxes, or wooden structures indicate rodent activity. Mice and rats need to constantly gnaw to keep their teeth filed down.
- Strange odors like musty, oily smells may signal cockroach infestations, while musky odors could indicate mice or rats.
- Unusual sounds such as scratching, scurrying, or rustling noises in walls, ceilings, or crawl spaces typically mean rodents have taken up residence.
- Visible pests during daylight hours often indicates a larger hidden population, as most pests are nocturnal and only emerge during the day when populations become overcrowded.
Benefits of Winter Pest Control
Professional winter pest control offers several advantages over waiting until spring. First, treating pest problems immediately prevents infestations from growing throughout the winter months. A small mouse problem in December can become a severe infestation by March if left untreated.
Second, winter pest control protects your property from damage. Rodents gnaw through electrical wiring, insulation, and structural materials, while insects like carpenter ants can compromise wooden structures even during cold months.
Third, winter treatments prevent health risks. Rodents and cockroaches spread diseases through their droppings and contaminate food surfaces. Addressing these pests promptly protects your family or employees from potential illness.
Finally, winter offers ideal conditions for certain pest control treatments. With pests concentrated indoors, pest control professionals can more effectively target and eliminate entire populations rather than treating scattered outdoor colonies.
Professional Winter Pest Control Solutions
Professional pest control includes several strategies for winter pest management. At Greenhow, our pest control technicians conduct thorough inspections to identify entry points, nesting areas, and the extent of infestation. We can then develop customized treatment plans based on the specific pests and severity of the problem.
Treatment methods may include targeted baiting systems, crack and crevice treatments, and exclusion services to seal entry points. Our pest control experts also provide recommendations for reducing pest-attracting conditions like food sources, water access, and clutter. Regular monitoring throughout winter ensures treatments remain effective and catches any new pest activity before it becomes problematic.
Don’t wait until spring to address pest problems, whether at your business in Boston or vacation home in Cape Cod. Winter pest control protects your property, health, and peace of mind during the coldest months of the year.