Can Wasps Fly in the Cold?
WouterWhether or not wasps can fly in the cold depends on their species. Some species can fly well into the cold while others are only able to flutter at temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. For example, paper wasps, also known as Vespula sp., are notorious for entering homes.
The first thing you need to know about wasps is that they have a rather complex life cycle. Most wereps die off during the first frost of the season. Others survive, but only if they are mated. The queen, or the female wasps destined to become queens, find a place to hibernate. In the spring, she leaves the nest and starts a new one.
The shortest lived wasp in the colony is the male worker. During the cold weather, these males die off due to starvation.
However, the best-looking wasp in the colony is the queen. This female is the keystone of the colony, and her role is to find a sheltered place to hibernate. Once mated, she will find a place to build a nest.
In the cold weather, the wasp’s main function is to protect the queen. When the temperature drops, she becomes vulnerable to predators. She becomes sluggish and may not even try to fly away. As the temperature gets lower, the worker wasps stop protecting her.
The wasp’s other main function is to produce fruit juice. In this regard, the wasp is better than the bee. The wasp’s body contains sugars that are metabolized into heat to keep her warm.
