Wasps can stay in one place for varying amounts of time depending on the species, the time of year, and whether or not they have established a nest. In general, there are a few key factors that determine how long wasps will remain in a given location:
Nesting Behavior
During spring and summer when they are actively nesting, wasps tend to stay in one place for extended periods of time. Once a suitable nesting site is chosen, workers will construct a nest out of paper and saliva and the queen will begin laying eggs. The nest provides shelter and protection for developing larvae, so wasps need to remain in the vicinity to care for the brood. A typical wasp colony may house a few hundred to several thousand wasps and can persist for many months.
Here are some estimates for how long major nesting wasp species remain in their nests:
- Paper wasps – Nest exist for one season, from spring through fall (5-8 months)
- Yellowjackets – Nest exist for one season (4-6 months)
- Hornets – Nest can survive multiple years, with new queens produced each season (12+ months)
During mild winters, some wasp nests may even survive from one year to the next. But in most cases, the colony dies out at the end of the season with only newly fertilized queens overwintering and starting new nests the following spring.
Overwintering Behavior
In temperate parts of the world, most wasp species overwinter as mated queens who seek sheltered locations to wait out the cold months in a state of decreased activity. Queens will choose protected spots like hollow logs, spaces under bark, and cracks in rocks or walls. They do not build nests or form colonies during winter.
Here is how long winter dormancy lasts for some common wasps:
- Paper wasps – Overwinter from fall through early spring (4-6 months)
- Yellowjackets – Overwinter from fall through early spring (4-6 months)
- Hornets – Overwinter from fall through spring (6-8 months)
The queens remain hidden in their shelter sites throughout winter until temperatures warm up in spring, at which point they will emerge and begin seeking nest sites.
Foraging Behavior
During periods when they are not tied to a fixed nest location, wasps can travel widely and do not remain in one defined area for long. This includes time periods like:
- Early spring – New queens emerge and disperse to find nest sites.
- Late fall – Nests decline and reproductively capable wasps leave to seek overwintering sites.
- Middle of summer – Foragers from an established nest travel up to several km away to find food and water.
When not confined to a nest, wasps may only stop in a given location for a few hours to a few days. Some key factors that determine how long they will stay include:
- Food and water availability – Wasps are attracted to sources of nectar or human food/drink and will remain near abundant resources.
- Suitable overnight shelter – At night, solitary wasps will seek protected cavities to rest in.
- Mating opportunities – Male wasps may congregate near emerging queens ready to mate.
But in general, when not tied down by responsibilities of maintaining a nest, wasps are highly mobile and only stay in a given area for short periods.
Security of Nest Site
If a wasp nest is threatened or destroyed, wasps will abandon the former site. For example, if the nest is damaged by weather, invaded by predators, or removed by humans, the colony cannot survive there and the wasps will leave. How soon they depart depends on the type of nest disruption:
- Sudden destruction (ex. knocked down by storm) – Wasps flee immediately.
- Gradual disturbance (ex. partial damage from animals) – Wasps may stay 1-2 days attempting to repair and defend the nest before leaving if the situation does not improve.
- Pest control removal – Wasps typically flee within hours once the nest is sprayed with insecticide.
When driven from their nesting spot, wasps will disperse and either establish a new nest elsewhere or go into overwintering mode if late season. Their presence at the original site rapidly declines to zero once the nest is non-viable.
Climate and Season
Climate is a major factor influencing how long wasps stay in one area. In tropical zones with no true winter, wasp colonies may persist for multiple years and queens do not undergo prolonged dormancy. But in areas with cold winters, nests die out each fall and activity is restricted primarily to spring and summer.
The onset of winter triggers major behavioral changes in wasps, causing them to abandon their previous nesting spots in search of sheltered overwintering sites. And the arrival of warmer weather in spring prompts dispersal as queens emerge to establish new nests.
Even within normal seasonal cycles, conditions like drought or reduced prey availability may force wasps to abandon a nest that is no longer sustainable and move elsewhere more frequently.
Conclusion
In summary, the length of time wasps stay in one place depends largely on whether they have an active nest or not. When maintaining a nest, they are tied to that location for extended periods that may last many months or even years. But outside of nesting season, they are highly mobile and individual wasps only remain in an area for short spans ranging from hours to days.
Climate, food availability, overwintering requirements, and threats to the nest also influence how readily wasps will abandon a location versus remaining there. Understanding the biology and needs of these insects explains the patterns of nest occupancy versus nomadic movement seen across different times of year and environmental conditions.