Wasps can be a nuisance when they build nests around your home. It’s natural to want to get rid of a wasp nest, but will destroying it just cause more problems in the long run? Here’s a look at what happens when you destroy a wasp nest and whether the wasps will return.
Do wasps rebuild nests in the same place?
If you simply knock down a wasp nest, the surviving wasps may rebuild a nest in the same location. Wasps exhibit nest site fidelity, meaning they prefer to build new nests close to the previous nest or even reuse part of the old nest.
Some species like yellowjackets are semi-social wasps that build annual paper nests. At the end of summer, the nest dies out except for newly fertilized queens that overwinter. In spring, the queens will start a new paper nest often very close to or directly on top of the remnants of the old nest.
Other species like hornets and Polistes paper wasps have perennial nests that house reproducing queens year after year. If the nest is disturbed but the queens survive, they will rapidly repair and rebuild the nest in the original cavity.
So if you simply tear down a wasp nest, there’s a good chance wasps will just rebuild it in the same area within a matter of days or weeks. To prevent wasps from re-nesting, you need to completely destroy the nest and kill the queen or make the area inhospitable.
How to get rid of a wasp nest permanently
Here are some tips to get rid of a wasp nest for good:
- Apply insecticide directly into the nest entrance to kill wasps inside
- Seal up entrance holes with caulk so wasps can’t re-enter the nest
- Knock down and remove all nest materials so there’s nothing for wasps to rebuild
- Set out baits and traps to capture any returning wasps
- Use repellents or hang fake nests to deter wasps from rebuilding
- Alter the location by pruning back trees/branches or sealing cavities so it’s less attractive
Combining tactics like directly eliminating the nest while also making the site less attractive can prevent the same wasps from re-establishing. You may need to spot treat with insecticides for a couple weeks to kill off remaining wasps trying to rebuild.
Do wasps abandon nests after being disturbed?
Wasps will temporarily abandon a nest after it has been disturbed, depending on factors like:
The level of damage
If you simply tap or lightly disturb a wasp nest, the adult wasps may flee and be cautious about returning temporarily. But they often return to normal activity within a few hours. Extensive physical damage is more likely to make wasps relocate.
Phase of nesting cycle
Early in the nesting season, wasps are more resilient to damage and willing to repair their nests. Late in the year when the nest is winding down, wasps are less invested in the nest and more prone to abscond after disturbance.
Availability of the queen
If the queen survives a nest disturbance, she produces pheromones that help workers rebuild the colony. But if the queen is killed, the workers have no reason to return and will abandon that nest.
Time of day
Wasps forage for food during the day but return to the nest at night for shelter. They are more likely to temporarily abandon a disturbed nest during the day. But they will still return to roost at night while seeking a new nest site.
So the tendency to abandon depends on timing and how extensively the nest is damaged. But even if wasps relocate, they will often start building a new nest nearby within a couple days.
How far do wasps travel from the nest when foraging?
Foraging range
Most species of wasps typically forage within 300 feet of their nest. The average foraging range is about 100-200 feet, but they are capable of traveling up to 1/2 mile from the nest when searching for food.
Factors affecting foraging distance
- Size of nest – Larger nests deplete food sources nearby, so wasps fly farther.
- Type of wasp – Yellowjackets travel farther than hornets or paper wasps.
- Time of year – Wasps expand their range in late summer/fall when competing colonies are scarce.
- Habitat – Wasps in urban areas travel farther than those in nature to find food.
Wasps are very efficient at locating resources, so they concentrate foraging close to the nest. But when necessary, workers will fly quite far to bring back nutrition.
Strategic foraging behavior
Wasps don’t randomly wander miles away from the nest. Their foraging is actually strategic based on energy use:
- They thoroughly scour the area within 100 feet of the nest.
- As food gets scarce closeby, they gradually expand the foraging circle out to 200-300 feet away.
- A few scout wasps may travel longer distances up to 1/2 mile, following scent trails to food sources.
- When the scouts find a productive patch, more wasps are recruited to forage there until depleted.
So even far from the nest, wasps are methodical about maximizing their foraging efficiency.
How long do wasps live after the nest is removed?
When a wasp nest is destroyed or removed, the remaining adult wasps that have escaped will only live about 2-3 more weeks. Here’s why:
Wasps are semi-social insects
Unlike bees that overwinter as individuals, wasps live in temperate perennial colonies with queens, workers, and reproductive males. The non-reproductive workers only live about 30-45 days.
| Wasp caste | Life span |
|---|---|
| Worker | 4-6 weeks |
| Queen | 1 year |
| Male drone | 4-8 weeks |
So workers are short-lived, especially away from the controlled nest environment.
Limited food and shelter
After the nest is gone, wasps no longer have:
– Food provided by workers foraging from the nest
– Shelter from weather and nighttime cooling
– Social structure maintaining the colony
This makes it hard for wasps to survive more than a few weeks. Their energy is spent trying to rebuild a nest rather than prolonging life.
Predators pose greater threat
solitary wasps are more vulnerable to predators like birds, spiders, ants, and parasites. The nest structure and social colonies help deter predators.
So between natural mortality, lack of resources, and increased threats, wasps from a destroyed nest typically die off within several weeks. But it’s important to keep monitoring for any new nests they may start to build nearby.
Do wasps die in the winter or hibernate?
Wasps have an interesting annual cycle in temperate climates that includes both death and hibernation depending on the type:
Annual colony cycle
- In spring, fertilized queens emerge to build small starter nests.
- The nest grows through summer and reaches peak size with up to 5000+ workers.
- In fall, the original queen and workers die out as new reproductives develop.
- Mated new queens overwinter dormant to start the cycle again next year.
So the entire colony dies each year except for mated new queens.
Queens hibernate, workers die
- Queens hibernate sheltered underground or in cavities, entering a dormant state.
- Workers and drones die since they can’t survive winter cold or lack of food.
Shorter day length triggers the production of new queens/males in summer to continue the genetic line.
Stages enabling winter survival
The fertilized queens prepare for winter by:
- Building up fat reserves to survive months without food.
- Entering diapause, a dormant state of arrested development.
- Suppressing metabolism and physiological functions to live through cold.
So while the main colony perishes, the mated queen wasps hibernate underground all winter until emerging in spring.
Conclusion
Wasps can be persistent about rebuilding nests, especially if the queen survives. But systematic removal of the entire nest and preventing recolonization for 2-3 weeks can stop them from returning. While wasps may occasionally travel far from the nest to forage, their primary focus is close by. So eliminating that nest site and nearby food/water sources is key. Understanding the wasp lifecycle also explains why destroying nests in fall prevents them from returning the next year once new queens hibernate. An integrated pest management approach helps ensure wasps won’t come back after removing nests on your property.