Frigid temperatures this weekend prompt cold weather advisories

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During the recent cold snap, it has been somewhat comforting to believe that although we are uncomfortable, the cold weather will head off a repeat of 

last summer's invasion of Japanese beetles

“Bottom line is zero, below zero, doesn’t make much difference to insect populations,”  Donald Lewis, professor of entomology at Iowa State University, tells the 

All of the beetles who invaded are gone now and next year's beetles are grubs, currently embedded six inches in the ground, protected by a layer of snow and the outrageousness of evolution.

University of Minnesota Extension Service

 says the grubs could be down as much as a foot into the ground by now.

What would work is temperatures in the 50s, leading the grubs to move higher in the ground, followed by another deep freeze, killing them before they can burrow deeper.

The good news is the Emerald Ash Borer is hiding just under the bark of your ash tree and bark is not a good insulator. The bad news, according to the 

University of Wisconsin Extension Service

, is it'll take temperatures  -30  or lower to kill them.

NewsCut

Bob Collins

Author

During the recent cold snap, it has been somewhat comforting to believe that although we are uncomfortable, the cold weather will head off a repeat of last summer's invasion of Japanese beetles.

Alas, it's a lie.

Cold weather will have little impact on next summer’s insects

Go Deeper.

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