While the sudden cold front this week has students bundling upand heading indoors, the natural world, which had just becomeaccustomed to the warm spring weather, will not be affected much bythe cold.
University of Memphis plants and insects will develop and growas usual, according to University professors.
Biology professor Harold Bancroft said the insect populationgrowth could be delayed by the cold front but not affected for anylong period of time.
"The cold may slow the development of the new generation times,but the generations are so close together that it won't be a majorfactor," he said.
Because the cold front is not decreasing their numbers, peopleshould still take caution this spring when it comes to insects.
"The best way to reduce the mosquito population is to make surethere are no standing bodies of water," Bancroft said. "Don't leaveeven a cupful of water. Think bottle caps to fish tanks toabandoned swimming pools."
People should learn to think like the inspectors who checkeverything from fishponds to standing water in flowerpots, Bancroftsaid, adding that in Singapore, inspectors will give out fines forany standing water they find.
Although in the United States, measures have not gone that far,inspectors are encouraging people to take steps to decrease thepopulation.
"Preventative measures are the most important in reducingmosquito population," Bancroft said.
In the plant world, the cold should slow the development offlowering plants, making them bloom longer but not producing anyill effects, Joellen Dimond said.
Dimond, the physical plant horticulturist, said because thetemperature has not hit freezing, the plants are safe.
"When it stays 32 degrees for more than an hour or so, that'swhen you start getting damage," she said.
At the moment, the U of M landscaping crew is just waiting for abreak in the weather so they can change the flowerbeds to theirsummer colors.
Inside, however, there have been a few changes. The heat hasbeen turned back on in dorms and other campus buildings, andstudents have hauled out their coats and mittens again.
"Last week it was flip-flops and shorts," said sophomorejournalism major Carmanise London, who was wearing a goose-downcoat. "This week it's coats and scarves."
