Life cycle of a paper wasp nest (Polistes dominula, colony "do-2") 2020

My P.dominula colony reached the end of its life cycle, so I thought about doing a video recap illustrating their development from day one to today. Enjoy!✌️
Southern Italy
March to August 2020

Пікірлер: 117

  • @tanker965
    @tanker965 Жыл бұрын

    I’ve never seen anyone found a colony of wasps with catching a single queen, so great job

  • @bugtalk84
    @bugtalk842 жыл бұрын

    I quite like the nests of paper wasps, I admire the way they look.

  • @nicolevillarreal5329
    @nicolevillarreal53293 жыл бұрын

    U have so much compassion for these lil ones, it was awsome to watch there lifecycle up close, the excitement of nature 🐛🐝💕

  • @waspjournals41

    @waspjournals41

    3 жыл бұрын

    Wasps are among the most interesting and complex insects that exist, unfortunately most people just see them as pests. I hope at least someone changes their mind watching my videos

  • @coronnation8854

    @coronnation8854

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@waspjournals41 I got paper wasps in my yard for the first time about 2 years ago. I was scared at first, but looked them up and saw that they eat pests. So I learnt to live with them, and have grown to love them! I've never been stung and I'm around them all the time. The heat seems to agitated them. So I spray cool water on my plant leaves for them, and they always come down and drink, then seem more relaxed. I see them as friends and allies now. I do wish they would learn about personal space though XD; I still can't help but wince when they fly fast near my head.

  • @TheSmileyTek
    @TheSmileyTek3 жыл бұрын

    Cool video. I have 1 female with a small nest on my porch. My curiosity led me here. I'll attempt to relocate her with her nest. The nest is right at our door, and I just can't leave it. I don't want to hurt her either. I've been watching her for a couple of weeks, but I would eventually have to dive thru the front door to not agitate them. Gotta move it somehow. At night and gently, I'm assuming is best... I'm trying not to kill wasps this year, I know they play an important role.

  • @7lol2007

    @7lol2007

    8 ай бұрын

    Depends on time of the year. They get super aggressive early fall where I am. Even if you are standing in no where they will harass you. It is usually yellow jacket other wasp and bees even hornet leaves you alone

  • @juicebox9657
    @juicebox96573 жыл бұрын

    i'm obsessed with wasps recently... this is such a lovely video. thank you for sharing :)

  • @sandyhill1392

    @sandyhill1392

    2 жыл бұрын

    They are Satan's birds.

  • @sandyhill1392

    @sandyhill1392

    2 жыл бұрын

    I'm obsessed with killing them.

  • @Catsdogsducks
    @Catsdogsducks Жыл бұрын

    I am a wasp nest Hunter there is a large wasp Nest at a local hobby lobby we try to knock it down and then we got stung! Good thing we are not allergic

  • @Catsdogsducks

    @Catsdogsducks

    Жыл бұрын

    Check out our channel and you can hear more about it

  • @jessicacobbs3872
    @jessicacobbs38723 жыл бұрын

    Wow. That nest was thriving so well that I thought it might become a super colony! But unfortunately, all things must come to an end. That nest was a huge and thriving empire! But their life-cycle makes it to where almost no nest can become a super colony. But still the video was amazing, and I hope you try to raise other wasp species. Maybe even yellowjackets or hornets.

  • @waspjournals41

    @waspjournals41

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you! But there are no "supercolonies" in Polistes, it's a phenomenon that only occurs in a few Vespula species.

  • @jessicacobbs3872

    @jessicacobbs3872

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@waspjournals41 I've seen polistes annularis nests survive winter (I live down south where there are very mild winters) and become larger than a basketball. I'm pretty sure those nests have multiple queens on them. I don't know of those qualify for "supercolonies" but I just thought I'd share that.

  • @waspjournals41

    @waspjournals41

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@jessicacobbs3872 the recycling of an old nest does not qualify as a super colony, because it's only the fertile females that overwinter, not the workers. Several species of Polistes wasps are known to reuse old nests, including P.dominula.

  • @jessicacobbs3872

    @jessicacobbs3872

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@waspjournals41 They didn't reuse the nest, the workers and fertile queens survived the winter and continued laying eggs through the winter.

  • @waspjournals41

    @waspjournals41

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@jessicacobbs3872 how do you know workers survived? There is no physical difference between workers and queens in Polistes. Not saying you're lying, but I need more information.

  • @Hammys-tw8ux
    @Hammys-tw8ux4 ай бұрын

    That was such a lovely video to watch. 😊

  • @nansny5439
    @nansny5439 Жыл бұрын

    What an interesting video! I am currently watching a nest being built and tended outside my office window and decided to watch instead of destroy. I wonder how you were able to move your nest outside and attach it to a window without getting stung?

  • @maculifrons
    @maculifrons3 жыл бұрын

    What a success!

  • @hype1581

    @hype1581

    3 жыл бұрын

    maculifrons I love your videos about you raising wasps! I like to try my self! But quick question, do the larva eat honey or syrup as a food or you feed them insects every day?

  • @insectwildlife37

    @insectwildlife37

    10 ай бұрын

    @@hype1581insects

  • @MrWillyCC
    @MrWillyCC2 жыл бұрын

    I hate those things!! But very interesting video! And love the remix of the Dave Grusin song playing at the beginning of the video!!

  • @fluffydragonslayer3688
    @fluffydragonslayer36882 жыл бұрын

    theres a small p.dominula colony right in front of my house. i know their invasive to my area but i just dont have the heart to kill them off. theyre very nice and let me stand very close to their nest and observe them. ive never been stung by one and they just seem content to do their thing.

  • @CrakenFlux

    @CrakenFlux

    6 ай бұрын

    likewise. they come to know your face. i love being around them. they are lovely creatures.

  • @CollectAppleDevices
    @CollectAppleDevices Жыл бұрын

    One question after they all leave the nest do you keep the nest as a collectable?

  • @0-_X.E.N.O.N_-0
    @0-_X.E.N.O.N_-011 ай бұрын

    I live out in the southwest and my family has a pool because it gets so hot out. It attracts the Yellow Paper Wasps, though, but I found out they are extremely docile and don't mind being rescued when they land incorrectly and start drowning. They'll actually climb all over you if you are extremely gentle, but they are defensive insects that can and will sting if threatened, so don't go provoking them or their nests. They actually are really grateful little things when you save them, and I don't mind them landing in the pool because they are only thirsty. Besides, they know it's a source of water and they want it to stay their source of water, so they're not gonna do anything to get kicked out of our yard.

  • @lewf5685
    @lewf56852 жыл бұрын

    Wow! That was a great presentation!

  • @Bugattraction
    @Bugattraction3 жыл бұрын

    This is wonderful. Nicely produced. Wasps are a new interaction for me. Subscribed and following.

  • @waspjournals41

    @waspjournals41

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you!

  • @helenhelen3276
    @helenhelen32762 жыл бұрын

    I love wasps!! Parents should check out Willie the Working Wasp by Dominick Smalls to teach their young kids about wasps for a quick bedtime story!!

  • @bas2452
    @bas24522 жыл бұрын

    Awesome! Thanks for sharing!

  • @NorthernANTs
    @NorthernANTs Жыл бұрын

    Another great video.

  • @krussostansel03
    @krussostansel032 жыл бұрын

    I recently have been feeding an abandoned paper wasp larvae (so adorable to me) 3 hatched but died soon after. I had no idea what to do for them right after they hatched. I have one little guy left that I’m feeding, he’s holding up strong so far but if you can give me advice for when he hatches. He is the last one though which breaks my heart 😢

  • @charlyshay1013
    @charlyshay10139 ай бұрын

    Excellent video! Very interesting. Last year, we had a p.dominula colony living in our bell chime which hangs from the eaves right next to the back door. I was concerned about getting stung but then I read somewhere that "wasps won't reuse an old nest" so I decided to just leave them alone and the problem would resolve itself. WRONG. They did indeed reuse the nest this summer. And suddenly this morning they are swarming all over the bell and making short flights around the yard. I go in and out that door all day long and so far they don't seem to notice me. They even tolerated me cleaning the outside glass of the window of my storm door so that I can see them better from inside. I hurried, though. Don't wanna press my luck. They sure are beautiful insects.

  • @waspjournals41

    @waspjournals41

    9 ай бұрын

    P.dominula definitely reuses the old nest sometimes.

  • @caseyk157
    @caseyk157 Жыл бұрын

    Great video!

  • @WeSaveBeesSanDiego
    @WeSaveBeesSanDiego Жыл бұрын

    Great video thank you so much!

  • @DD-hu6rj
    @DD-hu6rj2 жыл бұрын

    I am currently painting my fence, and I found one paper wasp nest at work, according to your Video, I think it or they probably has been working on it for weeks?, I don’t want to hurt it. Is there any chance I can relocate it?

  • @macroandnatureworld-gdoremi
    @macroandnatureworld-gdoremi3 жыл бұрын

    beautiful and interesting

  • @michaelbaker1946
    @michaelbaker19462 жыл бұрын

    Super interesting!

  • @DDRUTOU
    @DDRUTOU6 ай бұрын

    What's the name of the first song you used? It sounds so familiar

  • @Chickenstastegood
    @Chickenstastegood2 ай бұрын

    That 1 wasp at 5:24 is in a hurry😂

  • @joeybonzo1758
    @joeybonzo17582 жыл бұрын

    That was fascinating

  • @cds3703
    @cds37033 жыл бұрын

    wow you keep wasps better than just joshing

  • @waspjournals41

    @waspjournals41

    3 жыл бұрын

    Well no offense to him, but he does it for views, I do it for observation and personal fascination, the result is gonna be different

  • @GGiblet
    @GGiblet3 жыл бұрын

    What a beautiful video! Thank you for loving and caring for them💙🌈💙

  • @mika500
    @mika5003 жыл бұрын

    Great video👍 Keep going

  • @Glavin883
    @Glavin883 Жыл бұрын

    What a good mom

  • @vespiary2066
    @vespiary20663 жыл бұрын

    Awesome!

  • @waspjournals41

    @waspjournals41

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thanks! Any news from your gassed gynes?

  • @vespiary2066

    @vespiary2066

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@waspjournals41 Not much, I gassed them again but no building as of yet. If co2 narcosis works through oxidative stress pathways it might take more incidents or longer ones to incite all the changes. Most recent one was for an hour, still experimenting.

  • @hype1581
    @hype15813 жыл бұрын

    I really love ur videos! Quick Question: Do the larva eat syrup or you give them insects everyday?

  • @waspjournals41

    @waspjournals41

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thanks! The larvae need proteins to grow, so prey items need to be available at all times. In the founding stage, when just the queen was present, I directly gave her mealworms with a pair of tweezers, so she didn't even have to look for them. When the first workers hatched I decided to put the prey items in a small bowl and refill it whenever they ran out, which sometimes was up to three or four times a day

  • @hype1581

    @hype1581

    3 жыл бұрын

    Wasp Journals can I give them dry mealworms for like chickens? Or they need to be alive?

  • @waspjournals41

    @waspjournals41

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@hype1581 alive

  • @buipham123

    @buipham123

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@waspjournals41 , I was wondering how the wasps found protein to feed their larvae so thank you for the explanation.

  • @Name-nn3ii
    @Name-nn3ii3 жыл бұрын

    It would be the best program for summer 🌞🐝

  • @joshgilligan5466
    @joshgilligan54663 жыл бұрын

    Really enjoy these videos you post, how can you tell which females are fertile?

  • @waspjournals41

    @waspjournals41

    3 жыл бұрын

    In the spring, when I collect my foundresses, they're all fertile and ready to nest. When the colony is adult, the newly emerged fertile females often have a larger abdomen, do not work and tend to be inactive all day, spending much of their time perching either on the back of the comb or nearby.

  • @youflaw3285
    @youflaw32852 жыл бұрын

    Who produced the last beat that’s playing ??

  • @emmetthoffman195
    @emmetthoffman1953 жыл бұрын

    AWSOME VIDEO! I love watching wasps and all the things they do. I have a wasp on my patio thats nest got nocked down in a storm i was wondering if you could help me with capturing and feeding and helping it rebuild and populate?!?!? GREAT VID THO

  • @waspjournals41

    @waspjournals41

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much!!! What type of wasp are we talking about? If it's a Polistes wasp then it shouldn't be too hard

  • @emmetthoffman195

    @emmetthoffman195

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@waspjournals41 it was a paper wasp. I checked today on it and it is gone. But there is a nest with 4 or 5 wasps in it that are hornets!

  • @waspjournals41

    @waspjournals41

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@emmetthoffman195 are you sure? Hornets don't usually have nests with just 4 or 5 workers this late in the year, and their nests have an envelope so it's hard to quantify them exactly

  • @ascp_unnofficial4008
    @ascp_unnofficial40082 жыл бұрын

    How did you transplant the nest

  • @AntsCzechEN
    @AntsCzechEN3 жыл бұрын

    Awesome! Do you have experience with other Polistes species or Vespula? My P. colony was also a great success

  • @waspjournals41

    @waspjournals41

    3 жыл бұрын

    No Vespula, but last year I raised a P.nimpha colony (a little bit more difficult) and sometimes, when I find a P.gallicus nest that's located in a vulnerable spot, I bring it home and keep that too. I sent you a private message on Facebook :)

  • @waspjournals41

    @waspjournals41

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@cicadaandwaspenthusiast one day, when I have enough space and experience, I will definitely try! However I still find Polistes wasps more fascinating, as their complex hierarchies are not found in Vespula or Dolichovespula, and their naked combs are perfect for observation. They're also much easier to manage.

  • @cicadaandwaspenthusiast

    @cicadaandwaspenthusiast

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@waspjournals41 I agree, they are quite fascinating. I remember one time when there was a little crack in one of the bricks of my house that a polistes carolina queen made her nest in. I saw the workers on the outside of the nest in summer and would give them honey. When fall came I kept on giving them honey and I almost made them survive the winter, but we had a snow storm. That was what killed them. I was sad, but then I saw another queen of the same species building it's nest in an old grill.The nest got huge. I really liked that nest and I was even able to mark the queen.

  • @trevorbyron9448
    @trevorbyron94482 жыл бұрын

    Also have a wasp nest by my back gate. Been stung a few times coming n going in. Want to relocate them without killing or injuring them...not surely how to go about it

  • @Sam-kb1lt
    @Sam-kb1lt3 жыл бұрын

    What do you normally feed the larvae? I am using mealworms as feed, but I am wondering if chicken or pork also works...

  • @waspjournals41

    @waspjournals41

    3 жыл бұрын

    Paper wasps (Polistes) are only able to consume soft-bodied insects as their source of protein. I give them mealworms and maggots (and the flies that develop from these). I either buy the maggots from a bait shop or farm them myself by leaving a little bit of ground meat in a container outside until flies lay eggs on it. So far, this method has proven to be very effective and cheap. My wasps LOVE house-farmed maggots.

  • @Sam-kb1lt

    @Sam-kb1lt

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@waspjournals41 Have you tried keeping more aggressive species such as yellow jackets or European Hornets?

  • @waspjournals41

    @waspjournals41

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@Sam-kb1lt hornets are not that aggressive, anyway no, I haven't tried. It's much harder and requires a bigger space. I think I will in the future though

  • @Warg141
    @Warg1412 жыл бұрын

    Hey, can you link the music to this video?

  • @Sam-kb1lt
    @Sam-kb1lt3 жыл бұрын

    how do you tell if a female is fertile?

  • @waspjournals41

    @waspjournals41

    3 жыл бұрын

    In the spring, when I collect my foundresses, they're all fertile and ready to nest. When the colony is adult, the newly emerged fertile females often have a larger abdomen, do not work and tend to be inactive all day, resting and perching often outside the nest (workers often kick them out when they reach 1 week of age).

  • @stabofnostalgia
    @stabofnostalgia2 жыл бұрын

    Okay! So I jog in my yard and I had to knock down a nest of these. One of them stung me in the process. My ear was hurting for about two weeks! They started to rebuild in the same exact spot so i was like fuck it. But then a wood spider came along and made its web right beside the new nest. I saw wasps caucuses in its web one day and eventually many of the wasps disappeared…babies left alone and died. I guess the ants smelled them and made their way up to the dead or dying babies and ate them….Felt bad for knocking down the very first nest ☹️

  • @mikeaguilar8859
    @mikeaguilar88592 жыл бұрын

    Gotta say, the end was sad :(

  • @simonhancock7777
    @simonhancock77772 жыл бұрын

    What happens to the nest after the colony dies? Does a new queen take it over next year?

  • @waspjournals41

    @waspjournals41

    2 жыл бұрын

    It usually just degrades over time, however sometimes a few of the females who were born on it will come back after overwintering and recolonize it. This only happens if the nest is in a sheltered location where rain and wind can't ruin it.

  • @leonBUSSNESMROINA
    @leonBUSSNESMROINA Жыл бұрын

    WHY DID THE NEST LOOK SO SMALL

  • @Ilemaurice687
    @Ilemaurice6872 жыл бұрын

    How many days it has been taken for nest empty

  • @waspjournals41

    @waspjournals41

    2 жыл бұрын

    The entire life cycle of a P.dominula colony lasts approximately five months

  • @Ilemaurice687

    @Ilemaurice687

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@waspjournals41 no not entire but at 5:24 where the larvae is cover with white to become adult

  • @celiacresswell6909
    @celiacresswell69092 жыл бұрын

    Everyone talks about the death of all workers at the end of the season. As a roofer, my poor winter-stung arse says otherwise as lots and lots hibernate under roofing tiles and slates. Are these not workers? Great vid.

  • @waspjournals41

    @waspjournals41

    2 жыл бұрын

    Workers are completely unable to hibernate,.and die by the time winter starts. The ones you come across in the winter are most definitely fertile females waiting for the spring to start new nests.

  • @celiacresswell6909

    @celiacresswell6909

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@waspjournals41 thank you

  • @areurdytoparty
    @areurdytoparty2 жыл бұрын

    They really love that honey huh

  • @Chickenstastegood
    @Chickenstastegood8 ай бұрын

    The 10K views of this video is me watching it

  • @mikemarques9877
    @mikemarques9877Ай бұрын

    Girl how many times you get stung? 😂

  • @leonBUSSNESMROINA
    @leonBUSSNESMROINA11 ай бұрын

    WHY DID THE WASPS ALL DIE

  • @leonBUSSNESMROINA
    @leonBUSSNESMROINA Жыл бұрын

    SO THEY MAKE HONEY

  • @Catsdogsducks
    @Catsdogsducks Жыл бұрын

    4:59 wasp was late for work

  • @xxbrbrhuehue7449
    @xxbrbrhuehue74493 жыл бұрын

    Hurt 😓

  • @r.m.7288
    @r.m.72882 жыл бұрын

    You grew an economy better than our current presidential administration!

  • @whitetiger5181
    @whitetiger51812 жыл бұрын

    I had a nest in kitchen window (on outside) i have been lookin after since june. The last wasp died the other day. Google says they live for a few months. Nah these things lived for 6

  • @waspjournals41

    @waspjournals41

    2 жыл бұрын

    Google says a lot of things

  • @Chickenstastegood
    @Chickenstastegood8 ай бұрын

    Every time a wasp gets in my house I kidnap the wasp and put it in a container with a queen with honey and old nest and they do good

  • @graemecouch5010
    @graemecouch50102 ай бұрын

    Those things give a nasty sting ! Beware when mowing lawns !

  • @leonBUSSNESMROINA
    @leonBUSSNESMROINA Жыл бұрын

    WHY DONT YOU KEEP THEM OUT DOORS WHEN WINTER COMES KEEP EM INDOORS AND FEED EM

  • @waspjournals41

    @waspjournals41

    Жыл бұрын

    There are no active wasps or nests in the winter. The entire colony dies out except a few fertilized females that start over from scratch in the spring

  • @leonBUSSNESMROINA

    @leonBUSSNESMROINA

    Жыл бұрын

    @@waspjournals41 SORRY I WAS GOING TO SAY WHY DO YOU NOT KEEP EM OUT DOORS IN THE SPRING AND SUMMER AND IMDORS IN THE FALL AND WINTER

  • @leonBUSSNESMROINA
    @leonBUSSNESMROINA11 ай бұрын

    GOODBY MY MOST LYAL PET EUROPEAN PAPER WASP

  • @leonBUSSNESMROINA
    @leonBUSSNESMROINA Жыл бұрын

    WHY DONT YOU KEEP THEM IN A BEE HIVE

  • @waspjournals41

    @waspjournals41

    Жыл бұрын

    Because they're not bees?

  • @leonBUSSNESMROINA

    @leonBUSSNESMROINA

    Жыл бұрын

    ​@@waspjournals41BUT THEY WILL HAVE MORE SPACE

  • @snail9552
    @snail95522 жыл бұрын

    I guess the reason they acted lazy for 5 days is cause they are still waking up from hibernation

  • @waspjournals41

    @waspjournals41

    2 жыл бұрын

    They're in energy saving mode until they start nesting

  • @leonBUSSNESMROINA
    @leonBUSSNESMROINA Жыл бұрын

    SO THEY MAKE HONEY AND LOOK FOR COMMENTS BELOW WHEN A COMMENT IS DONE BY ME

  • @leonBUSSNESMROINA
    @leonBUSSNESMROINA Жыл бұрын

    SO THEY MAKE HONEY

  • @waspjournals41

    @waspjournals41

    Жыл бұрын

    they collected it

  • @leonBUSSNESMROINA

    @leonBUSSNESMROINA

    Жыл бұрын

    ​@@waspjournals41 WASPS DONT COLLECT HONEY THEY EAT HONEY BUT WHY DIDINT THE NEST BECOME GIANT LIKE THE ONE IN WASPS REMOVAL