Unseasonably warm winter continues in North Texas.
We haven't dipped below 32 degrees once this month at D/FW Airport. We haven't had a frost-free February since 1999.
While people may like it, so do bugs.
Experts say insects typically die or migrate to warmer climates during the winter months.
But because of recent warm weather, they're staying put and could begin to hatch sooner than usual.
All of it is good for business at Calloway's Nursery in Plano.
Gardeners with green thumbs are already stocking up on plants and insecticides.
"Fire ants are already on the move, starting to forage,” said manager Jenny Moots.
Mosquitoes and caterpillars are big concerns, so growers are planning ahead to protect themselves and plants from pests.
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While we may have more insects sooner than normal, Texas A&M Agrilife Entomologist Dr. Allen Knutson says that doesn't necessarily mean more bugs come summer.
“It depends so much on the weather,” he said. "It’s very hard to predict because we don't know what's going to happen between now and the next couple of months."
A freeze, he says, would keep bugs at bay.
But with warm weather ahead, insects may soon be enjoying your new flowers just as much as you do.
