Do wasps stay in nest over winter?

Wasps are social insects that live in colonies and build paper nests to raise their young. As winter approaches, wasp colonies go through significant changes to survive the cold weather. So do wasps stay in their nests during winter or abandon them?

Do wasps stay in their nests over winter?

The short answer is no, wasps do not stay in their nests over winter. With the exception of some species that overwinter as mated queens, wasp colonies die out at the end of summer and autumn. The nests are abandoned and do not get reused the following spring.

Here are some key facts about what happens to wasp nests in winter:

• In temperate climates, wasp colonies are seasonal and last only one year. They reach peak size in mid to late summer.
• In the autumn, cooler temperatures signal to the colony that winter is coming. This prompts the wasps to switch from raising worker wasps to producing new queens and males for next year’s colonies.
• The founding queen stops laying fertilized eggs and lays only unfertilized eggs that develop into males. Unmated new queens and males leave the nest to mate.
• The original queen, workers, and males all die out as winter approaches and the nest is abandoned.
• The mated new queensseek sheltered spots like cracks in logs or burrows in the soil where they hibernate alone over winter.
• In spring, the new queens emerge and search for nest sites to start new colonies.

Therefore, while some wasp queens survive by dispersing from the nest, the majority of wasps do not stay in the nest through winter.

Why don’t wasps stay in their nests in winter?

Wasps abandon their nests in winter for several key reasons:

• Nests deteriorate – Wasp nests are made of chewed wood fibers or paper, held together with saliva. The nest material breaks down over time and provides little shelter in harsh winter conditions.
• No food sources – Flowers, fruits and insect prey become much scarcer in winter. Staying in the nest would lead to starvation.
• Vulnerable to predators – Occupied wasp nests give off metabolic heat and scents that attract predators. Vacating removes this temptation for predators to destroy the nest.
• Extreme cold is fatal – Wasp colonies cannot survive extended freezing and below-zero temperatures inside the nest.

Abandoning the nest in fall allows the wasp colony to avoid these threats and gives new queens the chance to survive winter sheltered individually in safer spots.

What happens to abandoned wasp nests over winter?

When wasps vacate their nest in late autumn, here is what happens to the abandoned structure over the winter months:

• The paper nest material slowly breaks down due to weathering from rain, snow and wind.
• Birds like chickadees, woodpeckers and nuthatches may peck apart the nest to eat any larvae or wasp eggs still inside.
• Rodents like mice and squirrels can nibble on nest material for the carbohydrate content.
• Insects like ants or parasites may occupy the vacant nest for shelter over winter.
• Fungi and molds feed on the nest fibers and aid decomposition.
• In most cases, the nest is unrecognizable or completely gone by the following spring.

Very rarely, new queens may attempt to reuse a portion of the previous year’s nest in spring. However, they typically build a new nest structure.

Do some species of wasps overwinter in nests?

Most wasp species abandon nests for winter, but there are a few exceptions where queens overwinter in the nest:

• Some paper wasps in the genus Polistes hibernate as mated queens inside the old nest. These include species like the European paper wasp.
• Yellowjacket queens of some species like Vespula vulgaris can overwinter in concealed cavities inside the nest.
• Hornets of the genus Vespa are large social wasps that build perennial nests that persist through winter in warmer regions. Queens overwinter in the nest.
• Umbrella wasps (Vespula umbraculata) are unique in that workers can overwinter inside the nest instead of just new queens.

However, these cases are rare compared to the majority of temperate wasp species that abandon nests seasonally.

When do wasps build new nests in spring?

In spring, wasp queens that successfully overwintered will emerge and begin building new nests. The timing varies by species and climate:

• In warmer southern regions, some wasp queens start nesting in late winter or early spring.
• Further north, nest building typically begins in mid-spring, around May.
• Nest founding peaks between May and July depending on the species and location.
• Late spring/early summer is ideal as warmer weather and food sources like insects and nectar become abundant.

Queens build starter nests in protected areas like hollow trees, rock crevices, attics or sheds. The first cohort of worker wasps then helps expand the nest through summer.

Do wasps reuse nests from previous years?

Wasps almost never reuse an old nest from a previous season or build a new nest on top of the old site. There are a few reasons why:

• Old nests deteriorate over winter and provide poor structural support for a new nest.
• Nests contain chemical signals and pheromones from the previous colony that might deter reuse.
• Parasites or pathogens may linger in old nest material.
• Building from scratch allows the queen to choose an ideal new nesting site.
• Queens seem genetically predisposed to build a new nest rather than reuse an old one.

However in rare cases, a few wasp species like some Polistes paper wasps may reuse the base or a small part of an old nest to get a new colony started.

Can you safely remove an abandoned wasp nest?

An abandoned wasp nest that has been vacated for winter poses little risk and can be safely removed. Here are some tips:

• Wait until late winter or early spring when it is cold and wasp activity has ceased.
• Wear protective clothing just in case there are any hibernating queens inside.
• Use a long pole or broom to knock down accessible nests.
• For high or hard to reach nests, call a professional pest control service.
• Seal cracks or fill holes where the nest was attached after removal.
• Dispose of the nest debris in a sealed bag in household trash pickup.

Removal prevents reuse by new queens in spring. It also eliminates nests in problematic locations around your home before wasps become active again.

Can you safely destroy an active wasp nest?

Destroying an active wasp nest during warm months when wasps are present requires caution:

• Only attempt removal in cool evenings when most wasps are in the nest and sluggish.
• Apply a fast-acting wasp spray insecticide into the nest opening.
• Wait at least 24 hours for the insecticide to fully take effect and kill the colony.
• Wear long sleeves, pants, closed shoes and thick gloves for protection.
• Proceed slowly and watch for emerging wasps that may attack.
• Have someone with you that can help if you get stung.
• Call a pest control professional if it feels unsafe for DIY removal.

Destroying an active wasp nest carries risk of multiple stings, so take proper precautions. Only remove nests on your own property and avoid nests near roads or paths where passersby could disturb wasps.

Conclusion

In conclusion, wasps do not typically stay in their paper nests through the winter months in temperate climates. As cold weather approaches in autumn, wasp colonies die out, leaving only mated new queens to disperse and overwinter individually in sheltered spots. They emerge in spring to build completely new nests. Overwinter survival depends on wasp queens dispersing from the nest. The abandoned nest itself slowly deteriorates through the winter from weathering and animal damage until it is unrecognizable by the following year.