Wasps do not typically use the same nest structure year after year. The entire colony, including the original queen and all the worker wasps, perishes with the onset of cold weather, leaving the nest abandoned. Only the newly mated queens survive the winter, and they emerge in the spring to start a completely new nest in a different location. This annual cycle ensures that the new colony begins with a fresh, disease-free environment, maximizing its chances for success.
The Wasp Annual Life Cycle
The life cycle of social wasps, like yellow jackets and hornets, begins in the spring when a single, fertilized queen emerges from hibernation. She spent the winter tucked away in a sheltered spot, such as under tree bark, in a hollow log, or within a structure like an attic or wall void. After feeding to regain her strength, the queen seeks out a suitable place to begin building a small starter nest from wood fibers chewed into a paper-like pulp.
The queen lays eggs in these initial cells and cares for the first generation of larvae herself, feeding them on captured insects. Once these first offspring mature into sterile female worker wasps, they take over the duties of foraging, expanding the nest, and caring for the subsequent broods. This allows the queen to focus solely on laying eggs, rapidly increasing the colony size throughout the summer.
As the season progresses into late summer and autumn, the queen begins producing fertile males and new queens. These new reproductive individuals leave the nest to mate, and the fertilized young queens then seek out places to hibernate for the winter.
The Fate of Abandoned Nest Structures
Paper nests, which are characteristic of many social wasps, are made from wood fiber pulp and are not designed to withstand the harsh conditions of winter. Exposure to wind, rain, and snow causes these structures to decompose naturally over the winter months.
The old nest offers no structural or insulating benefit to a new queen beginning a colony the following spring. Furthermore, the structure may harbor mold, fungi, and lingering waste from the previous season. While the paper structures decay, the mud nests built by species like mud daubers may remain intact for longer periods. Even these more durable structures are generally not reused by a new wasp colony, as they prefer to build a fresh home.
New Nest Location Selection
The newly mated queen, emerging from her sheltered hibernation spot, instinctively begins a search for a completely new nesting site in the spring. She starts her construction from scratch, seeking a location that offers protection from the elements, proximity to food sources, and enough space for the colony to expand over the summer. Typical nesting spots include protected areas like eaves, attics, hollow logs, wall voids, or underground cavities, depending on the species.
The primary biological reason for avoiding the old nest site is to minimize the risk of disease and parasites. The previous year’s nest can contain a buildup of pathogens, mold, and residual insect parasites that could compromise the health of a new colony. Starting fresh ensures the new queen gives her colony the best possible chance of surviving and reaching full size. Although a new queen will not reuse an old nest, she may sometimes choose a location very close to where a successful nest was built the previous year, suggesting the area has proven to be an excellent habitat.