# Wasp Nest and Winter



## zoziw (Jul 7, 2006)

In September, I noticed that wasps were frequenting by back steps. I suspected that there was probably a nest underneath, but we don't use the back door much and the temperature was getting colder so I just left it.

Over the next few days we are looking at temperatures dipping down into the -30 range and this has got me thinking about that potential nest.

Would there be any live wasps in the nest at this point or would they all be dead from the cold and, I suppose, a lack of food?

If I don't find and destroy this thing this winter, will baby wasplings hatch out of it in the spring? Will other wasps find and use it?


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## macpablo (Jul 3, 2002)

get rid of it now, I've found nests in the middle of winter, the bees are just dormant. Find one and warm it up inside, it'll come back to life. May as well do it at a time when they won't swarm you for being a home-wrecker.


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## zoziw (Jul 7, 2006)

Thanks, I'll clean it up this winter...once I get my courage up a bit.


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## mazirion (May 22, 2005)

Take out the nest anytime after the cold has settled in. The wasps will be very sluggish and won't be able to do much of anything. Look at them outside on a coolish morning in fall - they can hardly fly.

They may be under the back steps - they may have been entering a hole in the wall of the house. Could be an easy clean up - or a forgetful one. I ended up plugging the hole at my place. I imagine they just eventually died. Was cheaper than tearing the place apart trying to get at the nest!


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## Dr.G. (Aug 4, 2001)

"The most common wasps that you will see in Canada are yellow jackets, bald faced hornets and paper wasps. These are all social insects that live in colonies. The colonies mostly die over winter; only mated females survive, starting a new brood of female worker wasps each spring."

http://www.seeds.ca/proj/poll/i_wasps.php

No regular drone wasp is going to survive the cold in Calgary.


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## RevMatt (Sep 10, 2005)

Be very careful simply plugging a hole. Sometimes, there is a crack through into the basement, or they can dig one. We found that out the hard way once when I was a kid...


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## zoziw (Jul 7, 2006)

> Nevertheless, unless the threat of stings and nest location present a hazard, it is often best to wait for Mother Nature, with freezing temperatures in late November and December, to kill off these annual colonies. Stinging workers do not survive the winter and the same nest is not reused.


Looks like you are right Dr. G.

Link

These were definitely yellow-jackets.

The nest is probably underground as my house doesn't have any cracks in the foundation or in the structure.

I'll still take a quick look under my steps sometime this winter though.

Thanks for the advice guys.


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## gastonbuffet (Sep 23, 2004)

in toronto i picked a wasp's nest and they were a lot of hatching? wasps inside, all dead.


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