Wasps are common insects that build intricate paper nests, often becoming noticeable during warmer months. As temperatures begin to fall with the approach of winter, a natural curiosity arises about what happens to these active colonies and their structures. Understanding the seasonal cycle of these social insects clarifies their disappearance and the fate of their nests when cold weather arrives. This annual transition is a fascinating aspect of their life history.
The Wasp Colony’s Winter Fate
With the onset of colder weather, the vast majority of a social wasp colony faces a predictable end. Worker wasps, males, and the old queen typically perish as food sources become scarce and temperatures drop. Unlike honey bees, wasps do not store food to sustain the entire colony through the winter months. Their inability to withstand prolonged cold, coupled with starvation, leads to the demise of the summer colony.
Only the newly fertilized queens, produced late in the summer season, survive this period. These future queens leave the nest and seek sheltered locations to enter a dormant state known as diapause, which is similar to hibernation. They often find refuge in secluded, protected spots such as under loose tree bark, in hollow logs, within wall voids, attics, sheds, or even underground burrows. This state reduces their metabolism and activity, allowing them to conserve energy until spring.
The Nest’s Winter Transformation
The wasp nest, constructed from chewed wood fibers mixed with saliva, is built for a single season and is not designed for multi-year use. Once the colony dies off and the new queens depart for their overwintering sites, the nest becomes abandoned. Over the winter months, these vacated structures are exposed to the elements, including rain, snow, and wind.
Without the continuous maintenance and repair provided by the worker wasps, the paper-like material of the nest deteriorates. It often becomes brittle and empty, gradually breaking down over time. While the old nest itself is not reused, a new queen might occasionally build a new nest in the immediate vicinity.
Spring’s New Beginnings
As temperatures rise and spring arrives, the overwintered, fertilized queens emerge from their dormant state. Each surviving queen establishes a new colony. She will locate a suitable, protected site, such as under eaves, in attics, wall voids, or tree cavities, to begin building her new nest.
The queen meticulously constructs the initial cells of the new nest, lays her first batch of eggs, and cares for the developing larvae herself. Once these first worker wasps mature, they take over the responsibilities of foraging for food, expanding the nest, and caring for subsequent broods, allowing the queen to focus solely on egg-laying. It is important to note that old nests are never re-inhabited by new colonies.
Managing Abandoned Nests
Given that wasp nests are abandoned and not reused after winter, they generally pose no threat once cold weather has set in and the colony has died. Therefore, professional removal of an old, inactive nest is typically unnecessary.
For those who prefer to remove an abandoned nest for aesthetic reasons or to prevent other pests from inhabiting it, late winter or early spring is the ideal time. At this point, there is no risk of encountering live wasps. When removing a nest, wear gloves and gently scrape it away. Cleaning the area afterward can help remove residual pheromones that might attract new queens to the same spot.