What Bugs Do in The Rain

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We had quite the weather over the past couple of days, Tri-County Pest Control fans!  With heavy rain and whipping winds all around, many of us across the Mid-Atlantic are now cleaning up all of the debris from the storm, ranging from the omnipresent stray trashcan to some fallen tree limbs.  Being inside due to the storm was certainly not the way that we would have liked to spend our weekend, but being the pest experts we are, it sparked our curiosity: what exactly do pests do when it rains? Keep on reading to see what we’ve found!

Overall, our research and pest expertise tells us that there are three types of pests out there when it rains: those who stay in, those who aren’t bothered by it, and those who love it.  Each category has a whole bunch of different pests in it, yet all of them have some common pests that you’re sure to see this season.

Those Who Stay In

There are some critters out there who aren’t the brightest bulb on the firefly, and then there are others who are pretty smart for their disposition.  Take the common honeybee, for example. These critters can sense when the atmospheric pressure is dropping—indicating that a storm is on its way—and as such, will stay inside their hive until the rain has passed.  If the bees are out and about when the rain comes, they’ll double-time it back to the hive, much like we do. In addition to bees, some butterflies will swoop down and hide underneath a leaf once the rain starts to come, and will enjoy their eco-friendly shelter until the rain has gone.

Those Who Aren’t Bothered

Sure, there are some pests who love and hate the rain, and then there are some pests that are truly apathetic towards it.  The mosquito fits this category perfectly, and if you’ve traveled to Florida, you know that it’s true. Thanks to their natural water-resistant hairs, the mosquito can fly right through a rainstorm, and if a rain droplet falls on them, they can simply crawl out of it and fly away.  This all being said, the mosquito doesn’t take a break when the showers start coming, and actually helps them in their search of food, as rain means less competition all around, since some critters will choose to stay in.

Those Who Love It

Our final category of pests includes those who absolutely love the rain, and treat it as if they’re in a water park.  Some insects like the rain beetle (spoiler alert: the name may give their habits away) live underground, but will only come out to the surface once the rain comes around.  Females pop out, release some pheromones, and male beetles come scurrying to mate, and once the rain is gone, they run back underground. The leafcutter ant is another type of pest that loves the rain, and will pop out after the rain has passed.

Plenty of pests have different opinions about the rain, and we know that our fans do, as well.  So, which pest would you be like in the rain? Let us know in the comments!

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