Cold Comfort Winter in many parts of the United States is hard on animals. It s cold, it s snowy, and food is scarce. Several species avoid cold winters by moving, or migrating, to warmer areas where food is available. Animals can migrate from north to south, east to west, or even from the top of a tree to below the frost line. Many birds fly south during winter.
Fish often swim to deeper, warmer water.
Insects can also migrate. Moths and butterflies sometimes fly long distances in search of warmth. Termites and earthworms burrow deep in the soil. Even mammals such as elk, caribou and whales migrate. Some animals beat the cold by taking a long winter nap, called hibernation.