key points
- Most wasps die when temperatures drop below freezing, but queen wasps can overwinter until spring.
- Remove old nests, seal entry points and clean up the garden to reduce the risk of overwintering.
- If you find an active wasp nest indoors, call a pest control company to safely remove it.
Many species of wasps are not aggressive and may actually become aggressive. Benefit gardens by pollinating plants and eating insects – e.g. aphids And Cabbage Loopers-But that doesn’t mean you want them sticking around in your garden and patio all year long.
If you’ve been dealing with wasp problems recently, here’s how to keep wasps from coming back next year Pest proofing your garden And home in the fall.
Do wasps come back every year?
Unlike bees, wasps do not store food for the winter most wasps die When the temperature goes below zero. However, mated queen wasps can survive the cold by hiding in sheltered spots in your home or garden and entering a dormant state that lasts until spring.
When the weather warms, these future queens wake up and begin building new nests and laying eggs, which can become the next colony of wasps if you don’t take action in the fall to prevent this from happening.
Want more gardening tips? Sign up our free gardening newspaper For our best growing tips, troubleshooting hacks and more!
How to Prevent Wasps from Overwintering
Even though queen wasps can survive the cold, they rarely reuse old wasp nests and may leave your garden in the spring without requiring any work on your part. But this is not always the case.
So, if you want to be doubly sure that you won’t have a wasp problem next year, here are three steps you can take now to reduce the chances that wasps will nest in your garden again.
remove old nests
Once temperatures cool, most wasps die and those that survive are usually lethargic and slow due to the cold. This makes it the best time of year to check under awnings, roofs and other places where wasps may have nested.
If you encounter wasps, safely demolish any nest you find. Although queen wasps rarely reuse old nests, other wasps and hornets will sometimes move into abandoned nests if you leave them in their place.
As long as the wasp nests have not been sprayed with pesticides, it is perfectly safe to throw discarded nests into your compost bin. Be sure to check around your lawn and garden too old rodent burrowsAnd fill them with a little dirt. Some ground-dwelling wasp species will happily build their spring nests in rodent tunnels if given the chance.
seal entry points
After removing outdoor nests, take the time to carefully inspect your home, garage, potting shed and other outbuildings for cracks, holes and other crevices that queen wasps may be using for hibernation.
For any holes you notice, fill these entry spaces with expandable foam, steel wool, or another strong material that wasps can’t easily penetrate. This will reduce the risk of wasps lingering over the winter, but it’s important to check your attic and other crawl spaces for wildlife before sealing them – and call a pest control company if you need assistance.
grooming
Even if queen wasps successfully overwinter in your garden, they are less likely to survive into the spring if your garden does not provide ideal nesting sites. so it is good practice to do so
Autumn garden cleaning And remove old leaves, plant debris and fruit that may attract wasps after winter.
pruning overgrown hedges And plants can make your garden less attractive to wasps; However, it is generally best to wait until spring to prune perennials, trees and shrubs because late-season pruning can make some plants more susceptible to cold damage.
5 tips to protect against pests during winter
In addition to wasps, other plant pests may overwinter in your garden and cause damage to plants when they re-emerge in the spring. But you can interrupt this cycle and reduce pest damage and future problems by following these simple tips:
- Remove old plant debris. Destroying old plants infested with pests can prevent pest problems from recurring.
- Install tree guards and fences. Encircling young trees with sturdy tree guards and fencing around your property can keep your plants safe volesDeer, and other furry visitors in search of winter food.
- Throw out the old potting mix. Used potting mix can contain pests and diseases and should always be thrown away at the end of the season.
- Reduce food sources. Keeping garbage and manure in sealed bins and keeping away from animal feeders in the evening can also reduce food sources that attract insects.
- Try repellent spray. Repellent sprays made from capsaicin, garlic oil, human-sourced predator urine and other smelly substances can also repel insects, but these products need to be reapplied regularly to be effective.
