The Life History of Social Wasps

Social wasps are one of the most complex animal societies known.  They form colonies with different types of wasps:  two types of females (queens and workers); and males (called drones).

Queens start the nest in spring and lay the eggs.  The workers (daughters of the queen) do not produce offspring, but help raise the offspring of the queen. They build nests of honeycomb-like cells, and all members of the colony co-operate in the care of the young. Colonies probably have a specific odour that adult wasps and even larvae can recognise.

Of the four species now established in New Zealand, both the Asian paper wasp and the Australian paper wasp build small nests, about the size of a pear. The much more widespread German and common wasps live in larger colonies. Their nests are about the size of a soccer ball, but they can become much bigger if they survive over winter

Life cycle of German and common wasps

Queens emerge from hibernation in spring and start a new nest.  The queen lays eggs and rears the first young by herself.  Once she has enough workers, she stays in the nest and just lays eggs.  Males (drones) and more queens are produced in late summer and autumn.  A male only survives for a few weeks, and does not sting.