Do Wasps Return to the Same Nest Every Year? A Guide for Llanfyllin Gardens
The idea that wasps return to the same nest each year is widespread, and the real picture, from the last wasps of autumn to the first queens of spring, is quite different.
The widespread belief
Many people believe that a wasp nest, once built, belongs to the property and will be refilled each year. It sounds plausible, particularly if the same gap in the eaves gets busy every summer. But the nest itself is only used for one season.
What you are seeing, when a nest appears in the same place, is a new queen choosing a site similar to last year’s. The result looks like a return, but it is a fresh start.
Gardeners add to the confusion by seeing a wasp at the same drainpipe each year and assuming it is the same insect. Individual wasps live only a short time, so what you are seeing is a long line of different insects, not the same ones.
If you are curious about the wasps you have seen over the summer, the autumn nest is a handy record of the colony’s work, with layers of paper built up in tiers. Look, but do not pick it up until you are sure it is empty.
Autumn in the nest
As the weather cools, the colony changes. The workers, which have done all the foraging and building, begin to die. The old queen dies too. New queens are produced before this point, and they leave the nest to find a place to spend the winter.
The nest, which has been the centre of summer activity, empties and falls quiet. You may still see a few wasps around it for a little while, but the colony is finished. Later in the year it becomes brittle, and it may fall apart in rain and wind.
The new queens do not stay in the nest to feed or protect it. They go off to rest, and the workers that remain gradually run out of purpose, which is why the nest empties and quiets as autumn goes on.
Fruit trees and bins attract the last of the active wasps in early autumn. Pick up windfalls and use sealed bins to keep the numbers down while the colony fades.
Remember that a quiet nest in October is not a licence to prod it. If you cannot be certain it has gone, leave it to the cold weather.
Why late wasps are still annoying
Even as the nest declines, stray workers keep looking for sugar. This is why September can feel as wasp-filled as August. They are heading for drinks, fruit and bins, and they can be irritable. Their numbers fall as the temperature drops.
If you see wasps at an old nest in autumn, they are likely to be the final stragglers. The nest is not a place they will return to once the cold sets in.
Do not mistake this sluggishness for danger passing entirely. A cornered or hungry wasp in September can still sting, so keep food covered and use the same care as in high summer.
What to do with the old nest
An empty nest is harmless, though people sometimes want it gone for tidiness or peace of mind. If it is on the outside of a building, it will weather away. If it is in a loft or shed, you can remove it once winter has set in and you are certain it is deserted.
- Wait for several cold days.
- Check there is no movement or sound.
- Use gloves and handle it gently.
- Dispose of it in a bag.
- Check for the gap that let wasps in.
If you keep the nest as a curiosity, make sure it is dry and fully empty first, and keep it somewhere away from food. Some people leave it in a shed, but that is up to you.
Some people leave an old nest in place deliberately, as it does no harm. That is a fair choice, as long as you check it is not being used before the next season starts.
Preparing for the next spring
Because new queens look for the same kind of site, preparing a property is a matter of reducing gaps. Look over the roof edges, vents and sheds for small openings, and plan repairs for winter. Remove clutter against walls and keep sheds in good repair.
In April, when wasps start building depending on the weather, check again. If a nest appears, do not disturb it. A small nest early in the season is the easiest to deal with, and it prevents the worry of a large colony in August.
Think too about what is stored against walls. A heap of timber or a tarpaulin pressed against brickwork is the type of cavity that a queen is looking for, and moving it in winter removes a ready-made site.
Keep a note of where nests appeared this year. Next April, look at those places first, but also check sheltered corners elsewhere, since a queen has no memory of last year’s site and chooses afresh.
Booking in Llanfyllin
You pay a fixed £80 per nest with one visit guaranteed, plus £40 extra for any other nest found on the same property. You will not be charged to have someone attend. Technicians who are fully insured and qualified work seven days a week in Llanfylin and the neighbouring villages. A same-day service is part of the offer.
To book, ring 07916 322 280. The contact page has an online form as well. Evening and weekend visits can be arranged, and emergency requests out of hours can use the online form. Tell the technician where the nest is and how high up it sits.
People often ring in September, once the nest is clearly empty, to ask what to do about it. The simple answer is that an abandoned nest is harmless, though you are welcome to ask for advice about taking it down.
Wasps on your property in Llanfyllin?
Fixed price £80 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.