Most wasps perish in winter, but newly fertilized queen wasps survive through remarkable adaptations. These specialized queens enter a dormant state, ensuring the continuation of the species into the next year. Their ability to withstand freezing temperatures and resource scarcity is a key aspect of their life cycle.
The Fate of the Wasp Colony
As autumn progresses and temperatures begin to fall, the vast majority of a wasp colony faces its end. Worker wasps, which are sterile females, typically have a short lifespan. Male wasps also perish after mating, and the old queen usually dies by late autumn. The colony’s established nest is abandoned and will not be reoccupied in subsequent seasons.
The demise of these wasps is largely attributed to plummeting temperatures and a significant reduction in available food sources. Unlike bees, wasps do not store food reserves to sustain the colony through winter. This scarcity of nectar and other insects, their primary food, contributes to the starvation and death of most colony members.
How Queen Wasps Survive
Only newly fertilized queen wasps survive winter. These queens enter a state of suspended animation known as diapause, often referred to as hibernation. During this period, their bodily functions are significantly reduced, including a slowed metabolism and minimal activity, allowing them to conserve energy.
A key adaptation for winter survival is the production of glycerol, which acts as a natural antifreeze in their bloodstream. This compound accumulates in their body fluids during the fall, effectively lowering their freezing point and preventing the formation of ice crystals within their cells. The presence of glycerol helps make their bodily fluids too viscous for ice to form.
To endure the cold, queens seek out sheltered locations. Common overwintering sites include crevices in tree bark, hollow logs, cracks in buildings, attics, sheds, and even underground burrows. Despite these adaptations, survival rates for overwintering queens are low, with many succumbing to predation or starvation if unusually warm winters cause them to emerge too early.
The Cycle Continues: Spring Awakening
As winter recedes and temperatures consistently rise, typically in March or April, the surviving queen wasps emerge. They immediately seek a suitable, sheltered, and dry site for a new nest, such as loft spaces, sheds, wall cavities, or hollow trees.
Once a location is chosen, the queen begins construction of a small, golf ball-sized nest. She does this by scraping wood fibers, chewing them, and mixing them with her saliva to create a papery pulp. Within this structure, she lays her first batch of eggs.
These eggs hatch into larvae, which the queen feeds until they develop into the first generation of worker wasps. Once these workers mature, they take over foraging, expanding the nest, and caring for subsequent broods, allowing the queen to focus solely on laying eggs.