Do Wasps Have a Queen?

Identifying the queen of a wasp is tricky. It may look like a larger wasp. However, most of the wasps in the Hymenoptera group have no distinguishing features, and the queen is not different from the workers.

The queen wasp emerges in spring and constructs a nest with wood pulp mixed with saliva. She lays eggs in nest cells and cares for them. She is the queen of the wasp colony and her care will ensure the survival of the wasps.

The wasp’s reproductive cycle starts in early spring when the queen lays eggs that hatch into young wasp larvae. These larvae are fed by the worker wasps. The larvae grow into fertile males and females, and eventually become the next year’s queens.

Once a queen has been chosen, the hive splits into loyalists and followers. The hive will provide food and water to the queen. In late summer, the queen leaves the hive to find a mate. After mating, the queen will hibernate.

A wasp nest is usually found in a hole or cavity in the ground or inside a house. During the winter, wasps hibernate in hollow trees or in cracks in buildings. They are often seen in gardens and woodlands.

The wasps’ larvae feed on chopped up insects. Their bodies are 1.2-1.7 cm long. Their legs are long and they have antennae. They have a distinctive ‘waist’ and a pointy sting.

Wasps have a three-inch wingspan. They are approximately an inch long. They have clear wings and they are members of the Hymenoptera group.