Wasp Lifespan: Everything You Need to Know

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Find out how long these buzzing pests live for and how to prevent a nest
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Wasps are buzzing around your home and backyard, which naturally leads you to wonder: how long do wasps live for anyway? Can you just wait it out and let them die off? Chances are, you would rather not have these bugs hanging around you too long. Keep reading to learn how long wasps live for, how long a colony typically sticks around, and what you can do to prevent future wasp nests from forming.

Section 1 of 4:

How long do wasps live?

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  1. This varies a bit depending on the type of wasp and the environment they’re living in. Female worker wasps live the shortest length of time after birth, while male wasps rarely live past their mating season. Solitary wasps, regardless of gender, rarely live past a single season.
    • Solitary wasps live by themselves and, while common, aren’t what people generally think of when they think of wasps. Social wasps, like yellowjackets and paper wasps, are the ones that come to mind, as they build nests and serve queens. The two varieties have different reproductive cycles that can affect how long they live.
    • Social wasps can actually die of loneliness! They need to be around their colony to maintain a level of energy necessary to live. A social wasp separated from their hive can die in mere days. Almost makes you feel a little bad for them!
  2. The protection the nest provides and all the workers protecting it keeps the queen wasp living the longest life among the wasps. This doesn’t make them completely immune to an early grave, however, depending on the efficiency of the nest. [1]
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  3. A lot of factors come into play in how long it thrives, including food availability and weather. Generally speaking, they’ll last through the late spring and all through summer, with the workers starting to lose energy in the autumn.
    • While they won’t go out of their way to attack people (contrary to popular belief), wasps will fearlessly protect their nests if discovered. Most stings happen when a nest is stumbled upon in its hiding place. [2]
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Section 2 of 4:

How long do wasps live indoors?

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  1. Without a proper food source (especially since they tend to hunt for their meals) or access to water, they’re unlikely to live beyond a few days. So, you might be able to put away the old shoe and just let nature take its course if you have a single one buzzing around. [3]
  2. Colony wasps usually rely on sugars and pollination to keep themselves fed. If they don’t have quick access to sugar, the colony will begin to die. As a result, it’s possible to just leave a wasp nest alone if it’s completely indoors, but the nest shouldn’t be ignored if wasps don’t seem to be leaving or dying. It may mean they have access somewhere to food and water.
    • Some wasps can actually survive a while without food! It depends on the species and the season, their metabolism can be slow enough to keep them kicking for longer than normal. A worker wasp who’s just eaten and has moved into autumn will live a little longer if deprived of food. [4]
    • A hibernating queen can live several weeks without food. Their metabolism is extremely slow during this period, so whatever they eat in autumn usually lasts longer. That said, if the temperature rises suddenly, it may prompt them out of hibernation early, which can lead to them starving. [5]
  3. Wasps like to build their nests in high places that are safe from predators. The corners of roofs and gutters are popular spots, and the species happens to be a fan of chewing wood, it can make nests form in walls. These nests can be really problematic, because the wasps have an easy means to get inside and out, and are protected from harsh temperatures.
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Section 3 of 4:

How do you prevent a wasp nest from forming?

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  1. Just making sure bugs aren’t flying into your house is a great prevention technique. The easiest way to do this is with bug screens, which will stop most bugs from worming in. [6]
    • Avoid sealing off holes in your home if you suspect a wasp nest in your walls. If you cut off their entry point, they may get further inside trying to find a new way out.
  2. Nests tend to form in protected places to hide from predators and make the walls of the colony easier to build. While most will be high up, it’s not uncommon for them to form deep at the bottom of containers. Open trash bins in particular can attract scavenging worker wasps. Make sure to keep tight fitting lids on these and other containers to prevent colonies from growing. [7]
  3. If you see a nest starting to form, or know of places where they tend to form, you can spray it with an insecticide specifically for wasps and hornets. Remove inactive nests to avoid repopulation (though wasps don’t commonly use the same nests.) Be very careful when approaching active nests – wear protective clothing that covers as much skin as possible. [8]
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Section 4 of 4:

Wasp Lifecycle

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  1. Queen wasps will emerge from hibernation after winter, already fertilized from mating the previous year. Or, they’ll make a colony the same spring they fertilized. She eats to get the energy to find and establish a nest. [9] Egg pods are constructed within the nest for the queen to lay her eggs.
  2. Once the eggs hatch, tiny, bulb-shaped larvae will occupy the cells of the nest. These larvae continue to feed on sugars brought to them by sterile worker bees. These larva will continue to outgrow their skin over the next two weeks. [10]
  3. Once the two weeks of feeding have passed, the larva will wrap themselves in a paper thin cocoon and will grow for another week. [11]
  4. After emerging from their cocoons, adult wasps will take to maintaining the nest, feeding larva, and flying off to mate. By winter, all the worker wasps will die, and a newly fertilized queen will hibernate until the cycle starts again in the spring. [12]
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How do you bait wasps away from your home?
    Chris Parker
    Pest Control Specialist
    Chris Parker is the Founder of Parker Eco Pest Control, a sustainable pest control service in Seattle, Washington. Since 2016, Chris has been specializing in Integrated Pest Management and doesn’t use any chemicals for pest removal. He offers removal services for ants, rodents, fleas, spiders, wasps, and more. Chris is a certified Commercial Pesticide Applicator in Washington State and received his bachelor’s from the University of Washington.
    Chris Parker
    Pest Control Specialist
    Expert Answer
    Get a pheromone trap and place it somewhere on your property. The wasps will be drawn to the trap and die and won't be as bothersome to you.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.pestsbanned.com/wasps/how-long-do-wasps-live/
      2. ↑ https://www.clemson.edu/extension/beekeepers/fact-sheets-publications/paper-wasps.html
      3. ↑ https://animals.mom.com/wasps-reproduce-7160.html
      4. ↑ https://pestifier.com/how-long-can-a-wasp-survive-without-food/
      5. ↑ https://pestifier.com/how-long-can-a-wasp-survive-without-food/
      6. ↑ https://bpca.org.uk/a-z-of-pest-advice/wasp-control-how-to-get-rid-of-wasps-bpca-a-z-of-pests/188976#sign-of-wasp-nest
      7. ↑ https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g7391
      8. ↑ https://www.clemson.edu/extension/beekeepers/fact-sheets-publications/paper-wasps.html
      9. ↑ https://www.buzzaboutbees.net/wasp-life-cycle.html
      1. ↑ https://www.ocvector.org/files/162ecaa92/Paper-wasps-npi.pdf
      2. ↑ https://www.ocvector.org/files/162ecaa92/Paper-wasps-npi.pdf
      3. ↑ https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g7391

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