The winter of 2014 will be remembered by the words ‘polar vortex’ and, according to the Page News & Courier*more than 45 record lows set across the country.

We are currently in the midst of another arctic blast making it expensive to heat homes, drive safely on snow and ice covered roads and disrupting school and work schedules.

However,  there is one big benefit:  arctic blasts help control non-native species, lending some much needed help in slowing the spread against numerous plant and pest invaders.

Here is a link to an interesting story that aired on National Public Radio on how the cold is helping control the emerald ash borer and wooly adelgid: http://www.npr.org/2014/01/10/261435111/the-upside-of-the-bitter-cold-it-kills-bugs-that-kill-trees

* “Cold -1: Monday’s Unofficial Low Temperature”, Page News and Courier, [Luray, VA], 9 Jan. 2014. Print