How Cold Does It Need To Be For Wasps To Die?
WouterAmong the many insects that die when the temperature drops, wasps are among the few that survive to see the end of winter. In fact, they will hibernate in their homes.
Most wasps die when temperatures drop to about 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Wasps cannot fly below that temperature. As a result, their bodies begin to slow down and their metabolisms decrease. This is because the wasps need to conserve energy. It would take too much energy to maintain their body temperature at this low temperature.
The queen wasp goes into a state of semi-dormancy during winter. She finds a warm place to hibernate. She will lay eggs to start a new colony. These eggs will be fertile females that will become queens.
Workers will help the queen with the feeding and tending of her eggs. They will also build a nest in the attic, roof or wall to keep the queen warm. When it gets cold, worker wasps will start to die.
The queen wasp can survive for up to a year. However, during hibernation, the queen is not safe from predators. In order to prevent predators from attacking the queen, worker wasps will hide her inside their homes. They will also stop feeding her to protect her from the elements.
A wasp colony can get to full size in June. In addition to feeding their queen, worker wasps also take care of the nest and stockpile food to survive winter.
