COLUMBIA, S.C. — As temperatures start to warm, we can expect to see an increase in bug activity.
Dr. David Coyle is an assistant professor at Clemson University in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation. He said, “Springtime in South Carolina brings basically all the insects. Everything starts waking up. You have a lot of butterflies, a lot of moths. You’re getting beetles everywhere. There’s lots of pollinators out. There’s wasps, there’s some bees, there’s all sorts of little flies. Everything is pretty much coming to life.,"
Dr. Coyle also said that the mild winter we experienced this year means that these bugs may emerge earlier than usual. “We’re basically seeing earlier spring. Everything is out there and it’s still just the middle of March."
To prepare for an increase in bug activity, it's important to take preventative measures. But that doesn’t always mean spraying bug repellents.
“People might be seeing more bugs inside because now’s a great time of the year and people have their doors open," Coyle said. "Most insects don't need to be managed. I would recommend to most people, if there’s an insect in your house and you don’t like it, move it into the woods or onto the lawn.”
While bugs can be a nuisance, they play an important role in the ecosystem. "It's been often said without insects there would be no life. They are one of the main ways we have food. Without those pollinators, we wouldn’t get food," Coyle said.
So, while it's important to take steps to protect yourself, it's also important to remember the important role that bugs play in our world.