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Anyone who finds wasps or even a nest in the garden or on the house easily panics. Because countless animals cavort in and around the dwelling. But how many wasps actually live in a nest?
In a nutshell
- the animal numbers per wasp colony differ greatly from species to species
- socially parasitic wasp species do not build nests at all, but let other species raise their brood in their nests
- Location, food supply and season have a direct influence on nest size and number of animals
From type to size
Each wasp species has its own characteristics in terms of development and colony size. Of course, this also has a direct effect on how many wasps are in the nest. You can see this with the naked eye from the dimensions of the built dwelling, but you can also demonstrably read it from known numbers. These well-known wasp species develop colonies of the following size:
Genus Hornets (Vespa)
- Hornet (Vespa crabro): less than 200 animals on average
Hornet Nest
Genus Short-headed wasp (Vespula)
- Common wasp (Vespula vulgaris): approx. 3,000 to 4,000 animals
- German wasp (Vespula germanica): approx. 3,000 to 4,000 animals
- Red wasp (Vespula rufa): approx. 150 to 350 animals
- Austrian cuckoo wasp (Vespula austriaca): no nest building, but socially parasitic rearing of the brood in red wasp nests
Genus long-headed wasps (Dolichovespula)
- Medium wasp (Dolichovespula media): approx. 900 to 1,700 animals
- Wood wasp (Dolichovespula sylvestris): approx. 800 animals
- Saxon wasp (Dolichovespula saxonica): approx. 1,000 animals
- False cuckoo wasp (Dolichovespula adulterina): no nest building of its own, but socially parasitic nesting in the nests of the Saxon wasp
- Wood cuckoo wasp (Dolichovespula omissa): Social parasite of the wood wasp, therefore only very small numbers of individuals are used in the foreign nest
- Norwegian wasp (Dolichovespula norwegica): an average of 200 to 300 animals
Notice: Invasive species such as the North American hornet are currently encountered again and again. However, they are still so rare that conclusions about their behavior and possible nest sizes in the new habitat are hardly possible.
The nest throughout the year
Regardless of the exact species, the development of the colony of wasps is always the same: In the spring, the overwintered young queen starts building the nest and laying the first eggs on her own. From this moment the colony grows steadily until it reaches its maximum size in late summer. As the colony grows, so does the nest, until it is orphaned in autumn and later decomposed by the weather and microorganisms.
Notice: The given numbers of individuals refer to the maximum development towards the end of summer.
location differences
Not every colony of a wasp species reaches the same size. Both regional and individual location factors can shift the upper limit of the animals. The colonies of the common wasp in Japan are around 20 percent smaller than in Europe.
Particularly advantageous locations allow colonies and their dwellings to grow significantly more, while other colonies with poorer environmental conditions have significantly fewer wasps in a nest and it is also smaller.
frequently asked Questions
Is a larger wasp nest more dangerous to humans?No. The size of the nest depends on the wasp species and the stage of development of the colony. As a rule, only the common wasp and the German wasp are annoying or even dangerous for humans. If you find a particularly large nest, there is a high probability that it is one of the two species.
Is the nest size the same as the number of wasps?In general, a nest building grows with the number of its inhabitants. The animals only die off in autumn, so that the dwelling is ultimately oversized or underpopulated.
Are wasp nests always hanging?No. The well-known nest form under eaves, hanging from branches etc. is mainly practiced by the German and common wasp. The smaller nests of the other species are often built in rock crevices, burrows or other suitable places.