Paper wasps, known for their distinctive umbrella-shaped nests, are common insects often found around human dwellings. These slender wasps, typically ¾ to 1 inch long, exhibit black and yellow or brown and yellow markings and have a smooth body texture. They construct their characteristic paper-like nests by mixing wood fibers and plant stems with their saliva, often choosing sheltered locations like eaves or tree branches. These social insects play a role in ecosystems as both pollinators and predators of other insects.
The Lifespan of an Individual Paper Wasp
The lifespan of an individual paper wasp depends on its role within the colony. Worker wasps, which are sterile females, generally live for a short period, typically ranging from 12 to 24 days during the active season. Their continuous activity, including foraging, nest building, and caring for the young, contributes to their short lives.
Male paper wasps, also known as drones, emerge later in the season and usually live a little longer than workers. Their main role is to mate with new queens, after which they typically die.
Queens have the longest lifespan, often living for about one year. This allows them to survive through the winter months and initiate new colonies the following spring. Some queens can even live slightly longer than a year, particularly if they successfully overwinter.
The Annual Cycle of a Paper Wasp Colony
The life cycle of a paper wasp colony is dictated by the changing seasons, with most of the colony dying off annually. In late summer to early autumn, the colony produces a new generation of males and future queens. These new queens mate before seeking protected places to spend the winter, entering a dormant state known as diapause. Sheltered spots include crevices in structures, under tree bark, or within wall voids.
As colder temperatures arrive in late fall and early winter, the existing worker wasps, males, and the old queen perish. The onset of freezing weather often marks the end of all remaining nest activity. Paper wasp nests are typically abandoned by late fall and are not reused in subsequent years.
With the arrival of spring, newly mated queens emerge from hibernation to establish new colonies. A queen constructs a small, initial nest and lays her first batch of eggs. Once these eggs hatch and develop into adult worker wasps, they take over nest expansion, foraging, and caring for subsequent broods. The colony grows throughout the summer, reaching its largest population by late summer or early autumn.
What Causes Paper Wasps to Die?
Beyond their natural annual life cycle, several factors contribute to paper wasp mortality throughout the year. Predators are a common threat, including birds like chickadees, summer tanagers, and honey buzzards, which feed on wasps or their larvae. Other insects, such as dragonflies, praying mantises, and spiders, also prey on them. Mammals like raccoons, badgers, mice, and skunks may raid nests to consume larvae.
Parasites also contribute to paper wasp mortality. Certain twisted-winged insects, such as Xenos peckii and Xenos vesparum, are endoparasites that infect paper wasps. These parasites can manipulate the wasp’s behavior and physiology, sometimes altering their lifespan or causing them to abandon social instincts.
Environmental stressors impact paper wasp survival. Extreme cold, particularly for queens during hibernation, can lead to death, and many do not survive winter. Conversely, unusually warm winters can cause queens to emerge too early when food is scarce, resulting in starvation. Heat stress can also affect wasps, though they possess mechanisms to cope with high temperatures.
Resource scarcity, such as a lack of available food, is another factor, especially as temperatures drop and foraging becomes more challenging. Additionally, human intervention, including the use of pesticides and the destruction of nests, directly contributes to paper wasp deaths.