It’s not normal to be near 60 degrees in Michigan in February, but that’s what’s happening on Thursday in Metro Detroit -- and probably again next week.
From a winter storm just a couple of weeks ago, to spring-like weather today, it’s just another weird weather stretch in Detroit. It’s not unheard of, but it’s becoming more and more common with climate change.
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As a human being living in this, it’s nice to feel some warmth. That’s impossible to deny. That is until you realize what else is enjoying it: the bugs.
This morning, I saw ants in my kitchen, spurred by the humidity and dampness brought on by the heavy rain, and I saw a spider on my desk at work. I’m not terrified of spiders, but it’s still not something I need crawling around my keyboard.
These are things I’d obviously expect to see in warmer season months. But in February? This is typically our break from the bugs. But not anymore.
Analysis from Iowa State University found that even one warm winter day can bring insect activity up from underground. It depends on the insect.
Insects that stay below ground during the winter are not as impacted by cold or mild winters, because soil temps are more constant.
As ISU notes, all insects develop based on temperature. A warm winter day could cause insects to become active when they normally would be dormant. Activity uses up stored fats they depend on to survive until the spring. Without access to food, these active insects could starve to death before food becomes available.
Don’t worry too much about overall bug populations, though. Most know how to survive winters, if they’re around here. They can supercool their bodies to tolerate harsh winter conditions. Pretty cool superpower. A deep freeze could present more issues, but it’s sort of a checks and balances thing.
So if you see a creepy-crawly bug around your bathroom today, just know, it thought it was spring. And you should know better -- it’s not.
Related: Michigan house centipedes: Why you shouldn’t kill them