How Do Wasps Live in Their Nests?
WouterDuring the summer months, the nest of wasps may contain as many as 5000 to 10,000 wasps. The nests are usually constructed of paper pulp or salivary secretions. They can be found in trees, shrubs, and even buildings.
Wasps build their nests in areas that offer good access to their food source. For example, some wasps prefer to build their nests in eaves or porch overhangs. These places are also warm and dry. Other wasps prefer to build their nests underground. Regardless of the type of nest, each species has its own set of preferences.
The queen wasp selects a suitable nest site and begins building it. Once the nest is completed, she lays eggs in the cells. The larvae then grow into an adult wasp. When it becomes an adult, it chews through the paper covering the cell. In some species, it also tears up insects to feed its babies.
The queen wasp will spend the rest of her life inside the nest as an egg-laying machine. In the late summer or early autumn, she will lay special eggs that will be used as new queens for the next year.
A new queen wasp will then emerge from hibernation and begin building the nest. After her emergence, the queen wasp will mate with a male wasp. The male wasp will leave the nest to mate, while the queen will spend the winter preparing the nest for the next year.
