Some Insects Migrate South For The Winter Too

You may have thought that only birds were physically capable of migrating to warmer climates during the winter months, while tiny insects stay behind and perish in the icy conditions. As it turns out, many insects are just as capable as birds at moving to more hospitable climates when it is needed.

Researchers from Lund University in Sweden have been studying migratory patterns of various insects. The researchers were surprised at the high number of insect species that migrate south for the winter, and north for the summer. In fact, much of the scientific community was in agreement that most insects simply die during the winter or manage to survive with the help of progressively warmer winters, but they were wrong. The lead researcher at Lund University stressed the importance of monitoring migratory patterns of insects because many migrating insects are pests and keeping track of them is tremendously important, especially for farmers. However, monitoring insect travel patterns is also necessary for locating many other things, such as food sources for birds and mammals.

Can non-flying insects also migrate in accordance with the changing seasons?