Do Wasps Return to the Same Nest Every Year? A Guide for Tickhill Gardens

The wasp year follows a clear pattern, and knowing it tells you when to look, when to act and when an old nest is nothing to worry about.

One season, then a fresh start

People often picture a wasp nest as a permanent fixture, like a bird box that is occupied each spring. The truth is that a wasp nest lives for a single season. The whole colony, from the first egg to the last worker, belongs to one year, and the structure is abandoned at the end of it. What persists from year to year is not the nest but the species, carried through winter by the new queens.

Seeing the year laid out in order makes the pattern clear, and it shows why old nests are not reused.

Winter and early spring

In the colder months, the only wasps alive are the new queens, sheltering in sleepy isolation somewhere dry and hidden. The old nest is empty. This is the best time for any practical work, such as checking eaves, clearing out sheds and repairing gaps, because nothing is inside.

As the weather warms, queens emerge. Depending on how mild the spring is, they begin to search for nest sites in early April. At this stage you might notice a single wasp flying slowly around the building or garden. It looks harmless, and it is, but it may be deciding where to start a nest.

• Walk round the outside of the building and check for gaps.
• Look in sheds and garages before the season begins.
• Make sure old nests have been cleared so you can see new activity more clearly.

If you want to be systematic, a short checklist in the calendar for the first weekend of April will do. It takes a few minutes and means that you are looking before wasps have had time to settle.

Late spring and early summer

Once she has chosen a site, the queen builds a small nest and raises her first workers on her own. When they emerge, they take over most of the work: feeding the young, enlarging the nest and guarding it. From this point the colony grows steadily.

This is the moment when a nest first shows itself. Wasps begin to make regular trips to and from one spot, and it becomes possible to find the entrance. It is also the easiest time to have a nest treated, as the colony is still modest in size. A nest that is spotted in May or June gives you time to deal with the matter before it becomes a hazard to the household.

If the queen has chosen somewhere awkward, such as a gap high under a gable or a hole in a bank, make a note of the position rather than going closer for a better look. Photographs from a distance are all that is needed when you ring.

High summer

By July the colony is well established, and by August it peaks, when a nest can hold as many as 2,000 wasps. Traffic at the entrance is heavy and constant, and defenders respond quickly to disturbance. In and around Tickhill, as anywhere, this is when most people first realise there is a nest in the garden.

It is also when wasps become a nuisance at the table, as workers go looking for sugar. Their interest in food does not necessarily mean a nest is close by, but a constant stream of wasps coming from one direction does. During this stage, keep children and pets well away from any entrance, avoid vibration near it and do not try to block or spray it.

Many householders ask whether they can wait until the end of the season for the colony to die off naturally. You can, but the nest will go on growing until then, and every week brings more wasps around the entrance, with more chance of a sting if anyone strays too close. If it is somewhere nobody ever goes and does no harm, that is a judgement for you to make. Where it is close to a door, path or play area, early treatment is the safer choice.

Autumn and the collapse of the colony

As the days shorten and the temperature falls, the colony begins to break down. New queens leave to find winter shelter, and the workers die. The nest is no longer in use, and by the first hard frosts it is empty.

This is the point at which people discover old nests in lofts, sheds and trees and worry that the insects are returning. They are not. The nest will never be used again. If you wish to clear it, wait until you are sure there is no activity, wear gloves and put it in the outside bin. If it is difficult to reach, you can simply leave it.

Autumn is also a good moment to plan next year's checks. A note in the diary for the first week of April costs nothing.

Another useful habit is to take a photograph of any old nest before you bin it, with the date and place noted. Next April, it will remind you where to look first, and where a queen found the shelter she wanted.

How we can help

If you see a live nest at any point in the season, it is worth having it dealt with sooner, not later. The Wasp Exterminator offers treatment at a fixed £70 per nest. A second nest on the same property costs £25 extra, and there is no call-out charge. We are open seven days a week and can often visit the same day. The technician is fully insured and qualified, and the service covers both domestic and commercial properties.

The price is confirmed over the phone before anyone comes out, and it might be higher if special access equipment is required to reach the nest. You choose whether to go ahead. To book, call 07798 792 774 or go through the online booking form or the contact page. When you speak to us, mention how long you think the nest has been active and where it is.

Frequently asked questions

More wasp advice for Tickhill