For those who don’t enjoy reaching for a jacket every morning, this winter was great news.

     But there is another effect of a warmer winter that many don’t think about: more insects.

     Many insects try to find a warm place to wait out the winter, such as in a building or underground. Those that don’t are often killed by the cold.

     But in a warmer-than-average winter, fewer insects are killed by the cold and they can come out earlier, according to Guy Buford, an entomologist for the Brookhaven area with the state Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Plant Industry for 24 years.

     Buford said with the warmer-than-normal winter, he expects a bad year for insects.

     “I noticed we had mosquitoes out in December,” said Buford. “That’s a sign of what’s to come.”

     Buford said that the public should be prepared to see more insects than they usually do.

     “I feel there will be noticeably more insects this year,” said Buford. “For the most part all insects will be worse this year, as I’ve noticed some insects that don’t come out until June or July are already coming out. So it’s much earlier than usual.”

     But not all insects are harmful.

     Lincoln County Extension Agent Rebecca Bates reminded people that some insects will actually help your plants or crops.

     “You need to know which insects are beneficial and which are not and only control the non-beneficial ones if it becomes obvious that they are going to seriously impact your crop or plants,” said Bates. “Nature often helps out by itself.”

     Bates pointed out there are many good organic pesticides on the market now that work much better than they did a few years ago and are gentler on your plants.

     Kent Allen, owner of Ole Brook Exterminating, said spring is usually the time of year when termites come out in force.

     “When temperatures start to rise, they come and can cause a great deal of damage,” said Allen.

     Fleas are normally a problem in Lincoln County, according to Allen.

     “Fleas are already starting to be bad, and this may be the worst summer ever for fleas,” said Allen.

     But he said there’s not much you can do with fleas.

     “Some people with fleas don’t even have animals,” said Allen. “The fleas come from the squirrels that live in people’s yards. Fleas are one of the most difficult to get rid of because of the eggs they lay.”

     Mosquitoes, an enemy of many outdoors lovers, should be active in this area as usual, according to Buford.

     “We have high humidity and we get around 70 inches of rain a year, and that only helps them,” said Buford.

     He recommended homeowners clean out trashcans, gutters, wheelbarrows, old tires and anything that can hold water to prevent mosquitoes from having a place to breed.

     Mosquitoes will hide under things and in damp places during the winter and normally survive without any problems, according to Buford. He said it’s difficult to tell which insects there will be more of, so he advised residents to be as prepared as possible.

     “When you go outside for a prolonged period of time, make sure you wear DEET or some type of insect repellent spray,” said Buford.

     Bates added if anyone has any questions on what type of insects are in their yards or plants, they can bring the insect in question by the Extension Service for identification.

     “We have some excellent ways of identifying insects and can recommend methods of controlling them,” said Bates.