What a Mild Winter Means

Reader Contribution by Jason Akers
Published on January 14, 2012

 When we moved further south and west this year I mentioned to my wife that if this year was as snowy and cold as it was last year I was going to be very upset!  As if I could do anything about it!

I love the mildness of this winter.  We’ve had days in the 70’s and up until just a few days ago here in Kentucky we hadn’t had a real snowfall.  I didn’t really think about the true consequences of the mild winter until I read the garden column in the Chicago Tribune (online of course).  In a recent Q/A, a reader wrote in to ask just that:  “What does a mild winter mean?”.  The columnist answered well but dedicated most of the answer to the pretty flowers you might find adorning an upscale home in Chicago.  I don’t think the answer was comprehensive enough.

So I started thinking about true consequences for us…you know, the homesteaders.  Other than some nice weather to get our work done what will the results be?

1.  More insects – whether you call them pests or simply realize they are part of the world we inhabit, there very likely will be more bugs this year.  Now there are some exceptions to my prediction. 

If you live in a part of the country where clay soil is prevalent then you will see more.  If you live in area with sandy or silt soil or loam you likely will see slightly more. 

Here’s the logic.  Insects overwinter in most cases through migration or freeze avoidance.  Migration is pretty explanatory but there are a good deal of insects that evolution has smacked on the head – they don’t migrate.  Instead they burrow into the soil and lay eggs as deep as possible.  A mason bee, for instance, digs a hole, lays an egg, provisions the nest with pollen, then seals it off with mud.  If everything goes right the larvae will hatch, eat the pollen, pupate and emerge in early spring.

Comments (0) Join others in the discussion!
    Online Store Logo
    Need Help? Call 1-800-234-3368