Wasp winter hut. Where do wasps winter, do insects sleep during the cold season? Video: Review and macro photography of a dangerous insect of a very aggressive, biting wild wasp sitting in a test tube

How do hornets—the same giant wasps that bite so painfully—winter? After all, these insects are among those animals that are not able to maintain high temperature of your body. According to the logic of the structure of the physical body, at subzero temperatures insects should become a piece of ice.

However, every spring the hornets fly out from somewhere, beginning a vigorous activity of feeding and reproducing offspring. How do they manage to spend the winter, where do they hide from the cold, and most importantly, why don’t they turn into this very piece of ice?

Who are they, hornets?

In biological taxonomy, there is a special genus called hornets. He, in turn, is part of a family called true wasps. So it’s not for nothing that hornets are so similar to wasps. These are their closest relatives, who in their lifestyle, reproduction and feeding method are not very different from the so-called paper wasps. However, hornets still have their own biological and behavioral characteristics.

Typically, these insects are one of the largest representatives of the wasp family, live in different biotopes and are not directly associated with human homes and agricultural lands.

What do these big wasps eat?

These insects can be called omnivores, but still, due to their habits and preferences, they are, first of all, predators that feed mainly on other insects. However, their behavior is complex, their character is decisive, and their habits are unusual. These smart insects, brave to the point of impudence, do not shun thefts and robberies. By the way, they get food without using a sting. To do this, they only need powerful jaws. And the sting with poison exists for self-defense from large animals.

Hornet is worst enemy bees, capable of destroying an entire hive in a squad of several individuals. After this, the robber eats and takes to his nest everything he finds in the empty home.

Adults also feed on the fruits of some plants. They are very fond of berry juice, mainly raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, and grapes. They even more prefer to feast on sweet fruits, such as peaches, apricots, and plums.

These insects are especially fond of overripe fruits and berries that are beginning to decompose. In addition, they flock to the corpses of recently deceased animals, in whose bodies maceration has already begun, but the process of decay has not yet occurred.

Hornet and man

The hornet does not specifically touch humans, but it is not afraid either. It settles near people because it is more convenient to build nests here. There is also a lot of food here, since various insects are always concentrated around a person. Moreover, human supplies are a source of food for the hornets themselves. For example, an adult individual under a person’s nose can fly up to a piece of meat from which a cutlet is being made, cut off a small piece for itself and fly away with the prey in its jaws. Somewhere in the forest there is no such abundance of food.

However, living next to a person is dangerous. He is the only representative of mammals that deliberately destroy the nests of these predators.

Thus, for this great wasp, man is a creature who:

• builds structures convenient for nests;
• concentrates many insects around itself;
• grows delicious fruits and berries;
• stores reserves of energy-rich food;
• breeds bees.

Hornets also play a contradictory role in human life. They:

• bite painfully;
• destroy insects - agricultural pests;
• clean areas of rotting products;
• destroy bees.

So for humans, hornets are neighbors on the planet who both help and harm. If you don't keep bees, then these large wasps, settling next to a person’s home, are more useful than harmful. But beekeepers have their own scores to settle with hornets.

How do these insects survive winter?

Hornets are social insects like bees or ants, in which the nest is the basis for the well-being of the species.

Hornets' homes are structures made of paper, which they make from the young bark of trees.

The nest is a round-shaped structure with honeycombs inside. This ball is hung somewhere in a secluded place. Its purpose is to place eggs in paper honeycombs and then feed the larvae there.

Insects are creatures that generally do not like to migrate far. Little of, most of these species are not migrated at all. They prefer to live where they were born. Any mass movements of grasshoppers, called locusts, moths and other arthropods are rather an exception to the rule. So, if an insect lives where there are harsh winters, then it is adapted to survive them.

The whole rhythm of the existence of hornets in the harsh conditions of a temperate climate is similar to the rhythm of life of bees and ants. To survive and produce offspring every year, you need to sacrifice something or someone.

Ants and bees sacrifice males, who quickly die after mating. This is done in order not to waste resources on already useless individuals. In hornets, the females are in charge. They are the ones who survive the winter, and then become the founders of a new generation.

The young female leaves the parental nest towards the end of the warm period of the year, that is, at the end of August or beginning of September. At this time, the nest can reach a diameter of more than half a meter, and a length of about a meter.

During the period of maximum number of sexually mature individuals, they all leave the nest, swarm and mate. This phenomenon may seem strange, because mating occurs before the onset of cold weather. However, this is precisely the logic of successful wintering and further reproduction of offspring.

Soon after mating, the males die, and the females begin to lead a free and solitary lifestyle. They feed heavily, and in between searching for food, they look for a secluded place for winter shelter.

The wintering place should be such that a pregnant female (and this is how they sleep), having fallen into suspended animation, is completely safe. She should not be found by enemies, the cold wind, and most importantly, people. Hollows, cracks in rocks, various small cavities with outside human dwellings, unheated buildings, shelters under stones, fallen trunks, etc.

None of the wintering insects hide inside human houses. The fact is that when cold weather sets in, when the temperature drops below 0°C, the water in the insects must freeze. However, this does not happen, because in the body of these creatures, water is replaced by glycerol, which inhibits all life processes, but most importantly, it does not turn into ice and does not break cell walls.

If such an insect does not warm up in time, it will die when new cold weather sets in. When wintering in a warm room, the female hornet must, after some time, that is, in the middle of winter, begin to build her paper house to lay eggs.

Even if she manages to hide from human eyes somewhere in the secluded corners of a heated house, it will be difficult for her to find material for the construction of honeycombs, and she will not be able to provide her offspring with sufficient food.

So a normal female hornet endures all the hardships of a frosty winter in suspended animation, hiding from the evil winds and other additional troubles.

In the spring, when stable positive daytime temperatures set in, the female wakes up and begins to fly around the territory. In spring she needs:

• find food to enable embryos to develop into full-fledged eggs;
• find a suitable place to build a nest;
• build the first honeycomb;
• lay the first eggs;
• feed the first children.

The first eggs hatch into worker hornets, who will do everything themselves - complete the house, feed the larvae. Among the eggs laid later, females and males already appear. And everything starts all over again.

So, having met in early spring The hornet, you know, is a female who is looking for a place for a new nest. If she's not threatening you (and she has no time to threaten anyone right now), don't touch her. Let it produce new offspring of hunters, gatherers and sweet lovers. Beekeepers, of course, should not give such advice.

The fact is that hornets are large, predominantly predatory insects. According to all the rules of ecosystem design, there are never many such organisms. There is usually not enough food to support a large number of predators. Moreover, this rule applies to even the most successful creatures. And then there is a person chasing hornets for any reason, and more often without it. However, people tend to consider fear a completely justified reason for destroying someone.

Hornets do a great job ecological function- they contain the numbers of many arthropods. Killing pregnant females in early spring and destroying nests greatly reduces the numbers of these giant wasps. In addition, the use of pesticides, which have a particularly strong effect on predatory insects, also contributes to the reduction in the number of hornets.

Meanwhile, in some places the number of hornets has decreased so much that they are included in the Red Books. This once again proves the fact that predators are always very vulnerable, and humans can destroy any species, even the most common and well adapted to different conditions.

15.08.2016

According to experts from the Research Institute of Disinfectology, wasps and bees sting only as self-defense. Therefore, no repellents against wasps and bees on Russian market No.

As a rule, paper wasps, or vespids, settle in rooms. They belong to a group of insects that use chewed pieces of bark, that is, actually paper, to build their nests. Paper wasps are particularly ferocious and belligerent. But this does not mean that they attack everyone indiscriminately. The wasp lives by the principle: don’t touch me, and I won’t bite. She will never attack first. It gets used to the owner of the site, and, as a rule, does not pay attention to him.

Another name for these insects is social wasps, since they all live in colonies numbering from several dozen to several hundred and even thousands of wasps. In summer, the colony consists of a queen and worker wasps, which provide food for the larvae and protect the “family” from enemies. Only young fertilized queens overwinter.

In the spring they look for a place to build a nest. The most difficult thing in its construction is to stick the first layer of “paper” to the ceiling or roof. Therefore, if, when removing a wasp nest in the attic, you did not clear the surface of its remains, then the wasps will settle in the same place again.

It is really unsafe to spray a wasp nest, especially a large one. Wasps are very sensitive to strong-smelling drugs and can become angry without even waiting for you to act. A “chemical attack” can only be carried out at night, when the wasps are sleeping. You need to quickly spray the nest with a preparation to combat flightless insects, “dichlorvos-super” or “neodichlorvos” will do. After this, quickly move away from the nest. During the night, the cocoon should be saturated with insecticides, the bulk of the wasps will die, and the rest will be forced to leave the area.

The second method is to cut off the cocoon with a knife, immediately throw it into a bag, and then burn it or boil it in boiling water. Do not try to remove the nest with your hands. It sticks firmly to the surface, you will wake up and anger the insects. To apply this method requires determination and clear action. Ground wasps often settle on the site. It is strictly forbidden to pour boiling water over their earthen nest. This can make the wasps furious, and they will bite anyone who gets in their way.

ARE WASPES HEALTHY?

Adult wasps feed on flower nectar, aphid secretions, fruit juice, and do not refuse meat. They feed their larvae with chewed insects, thus protecting orchard from pests. Food for the larvae is flies, ants, bees, and caterpillars. Sometimes you can watch real battles in the garden, when a wasp “fights” with a fly or caterpillar that is larger in size than the wasp itself.

Usually, wasps do not cause “physical and material” harm to humans. But living next to them is still unpleasant. Children often suffer from wasp stings because they do not know how to behave correctly.

When a wasp annoys you, don't brush it off. You need to freeze and try not to move. Or, on the contrary, suddenly take off and quickly run away. The main thing is not to wave your arms. If there are no children in the garden, and you are calm about wasps, then you can assume that they are useful. Otherwise, try to keep them out of the area.

When cooking jam and compotes, close windows and doors. Once they receive a portion of something tasty, the wasps will remember the “feeder” and settle next to you. Remove raw meat from exposed areas and cover it tightly when defrosting.

If wasps do appear in the garden, place bottles with a narrow neck filled with fermented liquids, including jam, compote or beer, throughout the entire area. The wasps will fly inside and die.

There are cases when a wasp attacks for no apparent reason. Scents, such as cologne, perfume, and even some mosquito repellents, can trigger the behavior. Although such attacks are rare, it is better not to tempt fate and not use deodorants or other fragrances. A person who has ever experienced a wasp sting is unlikely to say that these insects are useful.

IF YOU ARE BITTE BY A WASP

Wasps bite and do not sting like bees, so only poison remains in the wound. The first thing to do when a wasp stings is to remove the poison from the wound if possible. To do this, wipe the wound with diluted alcohol, vodka or iodine. Apply something cold to the bite site. Sometimes it is recommended to apply clay. Do not do this under any circumstances: you can get tetanus. Place a piece of sugar on the wound - it will draw out the poison.

If you manage to kill an attacking wasp, do not leave it near you or in the house. Wasps are vindictive by nature. If you kill one, others will come to take revenge. Don't consider this mysticism, it's known fact. It is best to drive out an uninvited guest who has flown into the house with bait. Place a piece of meat or sweet jam near open window or doors. This will immediately direct her to take off without any bloodshed. When the wasp flies away, do not forget to remove the bait.

Many insects evoke ambivalent feelings in humans. Take, for example, the same wasps: many are afraid of them, but they also want to learn as much as possible about their life. In particular, animal lovers are often haunted by the question of where wasps spend the winter.

IN warm time These hardworking insects are everywhere throughout the year: they constantly work, destroying a lot of garden pests. But with the onset of cold weather, all the wasps disappear somewhere. Let's figure out this mystery and put an end to all kinds of misconceptions in this area forever!

Some believe that their nests, which can often be found in attics, gates and other secluded places, serve as “winter apartments.” Well, if you remember the bees, then this assumption is quite logical. But, unfortunately, this is not the case.

The nest is not a place where wasps spend the winter, as it serves exclusively as a summer home. During the cold season they become empty: by removing one of them, you can easily see this for yourself.

In fact, wasps go into winter hibernation, hiding under the bark of trees, in wood cracks and other shelters. It should be noted that prolonged thaws and winters with little snow are extremely dangerous for them, since many individuals simply freeze out in this case.

Thus, in the southern regions of Germany in Lately There is a catastrophic shortage of wasps: local populations have become accustomed to mild winters and left late for the winter. The current climate instability leads to their massive freezing.

So how and where do wasps overwinter? In mid-autumn, all working females and males fall into torpor, become inactive, and die. The remaining queen is looking for a place for her winter hibernation, and at the first sign of cold weather she climbs there and freezes until spring.

During this period, her body temperature drops to a minimum, and her metabolism practically stops. With the first rays of the sun, the wasp comes to life, begins to feed intensively and build a nest. It should be noted that the wasp insect does not always have such a life cycle.

Some species living in Kazakhstan hatch young females only by the beginning of August. Therefore, not only the queen goes to winter, but they too. In this case, in the spring, young individuals begin to build a nest and provide food for the colony, while the main female is engaged in laying eggs.

Note that not all species have young wasps that help the queen. In most cases, they scatter around the surrounding area and establish their own colonies, and their mother alone builds a “hive” and raises the young. Only after they have matured can she focus on laying a new batch of eggs.

Since wasps overwinter in old trees, wild boars often take advantage of this. In the southern regions, they often search all rotten stumps, looking for “sites” of the insects in question. However, in summer time they do this no less willingly, since wasp larvae are a delicacy for them.

Note that there are genera Vespula and Dolichovespula, in which the worker caste has completely disappeared. After overwintering, their queens lay eggs in the nests of other species and then mate with the grown males. They do not build their own nests.

We hope that you have learned about the places where wasps spend the winter. As you can see, this is very interesting!

It is difficult to meet a person who would be delighted with the constant proximity to wasps in the country. Especially if there are small children running around the area every now and then. Wasps often build nests where we don't want them to. Of course, uninvited guests do not ask our permission. And then it’s quite difficult to fight them. Only now, with the onset of autumn coolness, all that remains of insects is their nests. Where are they going?!

We were told in biology lessons at school that wasps leave their nests with the arrival of late autumn. And they remain completely empty until spring. During the first warm months, wasps even help humans: they destroy pests in gardens. And we can see wasps in large numbers only in the summer, which does not please summer residents at all. Wasps spoil berries and fruits and cause a lot of inconvenience to humans. But where do wasps spend the winter? Where do they go and then unexpectedly return? Let's answer these questions and decide how to deal with this voracious insect. We hope that we are writing this article for a reason, and that it will definitely be useful to you.

As soon as the first cold weather sets in, summer residents calmly remove and burn wasp nests. They know very well: the insects have already flown away. In fact, the destruction of empty nests only has a certain preventive role. The fact is that wasps like to nest where there are already other wasp nests nearby. And it’s better to get rid of the old nest: suddenly the wasps won’t come again!

Before wintering, females actively mate, and then fly away in search of a suitable place for wintering. What attracts insects, and where do wasps usually hibernate? They love fallen trees. Rotting stumps also become a home for wasps. If from the fallen autumn leaves formed good bedding, insects will definitely live in it and stay there until spring.

Females, for the most part, look for cracks in the bark and climb into them. If in your country house There are many cracks, then insects can get into them and stay there until the first warm days. The main thing is that the wasps do not end up in inner side your house. Any wooden buildings, especially old barns, can become an “apartment” for insects. And you need to be prepared for this.

There should not be large temperature differences where wasps hibernate. When there is a harsh winter or, conversely, little snow, many females die. Even before they have time to recover from hibernation, wasps become desirable prey for birds, which cannot help but take advantage of the arrival of winter thaws. But, naturally, some insects remain alive. And the new generation appears quite quickly, which in any case has a positive effect on the population.

Where do wasps spend the winter and when do they wake up?

We have already said where wasps spend the winter. But the above did not apply to old females, who are practically no longer able to bear offspring. They do not look for wooden structures, stumps and leaves to survive the winter safely. Old females scatter, as they say, “wherever they look.” And as soon as the temperature drops below zero, they become completely inactive. The result is immediate death. Such is their lot.

But the surviving wasps are waiting for fifteen-degree heat. And, having gained strength, they leave their winter homes. Now the main objective wasp - build a nest. We advise you to get together with all your household members in the fall and spend preventive cleaning. Believe me, it will not be superfluous. This way you will destroy the “secret hiding places” of insects in the same accumulated foliage.

It only seems to amateurs that summer residents can relax in autumn and winter. In fact, this is completely wrong. If you do not want insects to attack your berries in the summer and fruit trees, don't sit idly by. Moreover, in winter there is still little to do: you can take care of the future of your future (forgive the tautology) harvest.

In the fall, be sure to walk through all the places where insects could at least theoretically live. Wasps are very fond of corners in sheds and attics. They can often be found under awnings. Found nests, as we noted above, burn in any case. And by the way, take a look at a specialty store. Let your sales consultant advise you on some product that can be used to treat the place where the socket is attached. The main thing is that it fights off the smell.

If you are too lazy to go to the store or feel sorry for spending money, use the same kerosene. It will do, in principle. And regular machine oil. If all this is missing, then treat the place where the nest was attached with dichlorvos. The females will arrive. They will understand that the nest is no longer here. They will smell an unpleasant odor. And they will go home. At least that's what experts say. And representatives of the older generation have always used and continue to use this method of fighting wasps.

As soon as it gets really cool (the thermometer is below 10 degrees Celsius), burn down everything where wasps can settle. Have you seen old rotten stumps? Burn them without hesitation! All cut trees are also engulfed in flames. No dry leaves in the areas! Believe me, insects will definitely inhabit them. Even compost heaps pour boiling water over it.

Are there any pieces of slate left on the site? Turn them over or place them in a dry place. The same applies to roofing felt and various boards. Don’t be lazy: the work will probably not take you that much time. If insects start wintering under them, they will certainly die, as they will be left without shelter. It will be easier for you later in the summer.

By the way, during the summer season do not throw away plastic bottles. You will definitely need them in winter. They can be used to make excellent insect traps. How to use them? There are many methods, as you can see for yourself by reading relevant articles on the Internet. On the World Wide Web you will find the answer to any question you are interested in.

In any case, such unwanted neighbors must be kicked out or destroyed by everyone possible methods. Otherwise, you risk wasting your energy growing fruits and berries. And it’s almost impossible to insure yourself against wasp stings. Here, modern sprays, which are sold in specialized stores and markets, will not help. Especially in the heat, when insects are overly active. Everything will definitely work out for you, there simply cannot be two opinions. Try to spend as much time outdoors as possible, if possible. Gather all your household members on your site. Have a good harvest and take care of yourself. Good luck!