Social wasps, such as yellow jackets and hornets, do not migrate for the winter. The wasp colony follows a single-year cycle that culminates in a near-total die-off. The vast majority of insects seen during the summer are programmed to perish with the onset of cold weather. This annual collapse allows the species to persist when food and suitable temperatures are unavailable. The continuation of the population relies solely on the successful winter survival of a single individual.
The Fate of the Wasp Colony
The massive colony that thrived throughout the summer begins its irreversible decline in late autumn. As the days shorten and temperatures fall, the queen stops laying the eggs that develop into sterile female workers. These workers, along with the males (drones) produced for mating, have relatively short lifespans timed to the active nesting season.
The primary cause of death for these individuals is not immediate freezing, but a combination of starvation and cold-induced sluggishness. Food sources, particularly the sugary nectar and fruit that fuel adult wasps, become scarce. Without this energy, the wasps become too slow to forage effectively, eventually succumbing to exhaustion or cold when temperatures drop below approximately 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The colony structure, which depends on a constant supply of food and a functioning workforce, dissolves as the workers die off.
The Queen’s Winter Survival Strategy
The only wasps that survive the winter are the newly fertilized queens, which undergo a physiological transformation known as diapause. Diapause is a state of enforced, suspended development, distinct from true mammalian hibernation. Before entering this phase, the young queens gorge on food to build up substantial fat reserves.
Once they find a suitable overwintering location, their metabolism slows dramatically, allowing them to survive for months on stored reserves. To withstand freezing temperatures, the queens produce natural cryoprotectants, such as glycerol, that act like an antifreeze within their bodily fluids. This chemical prevents the formation of ice crystals that would cause lethal damage to their cells. The mated queens seek secluded, dry spots, often hiding beneath tree bark, within rotting logs, or inside protected spaces like wall voids and attics. The successful emergence of this single individual in the spring is the only link to the next generation.
Why Nests Are Not Reused
The large paper nest that housed the summer colony is a seasonal structure and is never reused. Wasp nests are built from wood fibers chewed and mixed with saliva to create a paper-like material. This cellulose-based structure is built to last only a single season and is subject to degradation from moisture and winter weather.
Biologically, the new queen emerging from diapause does not return to the old nest, even if it is structurally intact. Reusing an old nest would increase the risk of disease and parasite transmission from the previous occupants. Upon awakening in the spring, the queen immediately begins to construct a small, fresh nest in a new location, where she will lay her first batch of eggs to start the colony anew. An old, abandoned nest visible during the winter months is biologically inert and poses no threat of becoming reactivated.