UK wasp colonies follow a predictable annual pattern. Understanding it explains why you might see one wasp in May and 50 in August, why treatment timing matters less than people think, and why you don't need to do anything about a wasp you spot in November.
The short version
- Late April: queens emerge, search for a nest site
- May–June: queens build small starter nests, lay first eggs
- July: first generation of workers takes over building
- August: colony peak (3,000–6,000 workers), maximum aggression
- September: colony declines, new queens leave to mate
- October–November: colony collapses, workers die
- November–April: only mated queens survive, hibernating alone
Month by month
April — the queen wakes up
Last year's mated queens spend the winter alone, hibernating in soil, log piles, sheds, or behind loose bark. Warming temperatures in late April pull them out. You'll occasionally see a single very large wasp flying slowly and bumping into things — that's a queen. She'll spend two to three weeks searching for a quiet cavity with a small entrance: a hole in a soffit, a gap under a roof tile, an old mouse burrow, or the corner of a shed.
May — the nest starts
Once she's chosen a site, the queen builds a small starter nest the size of a golf ball, hanging from a single stalk. She lays the first batch of eggs and feeds the larvae herself. This is the only time of year a wasp colony is genuinely vulnerable. If you spot a starter nest in May or June, it's much smaller and easier to deal with than the same nest will be in August.
June — the first workers emerge
The first generation of female workers hatches and takes over the building work. The queen now stays inside and lays eggs full-time. The nest grows quickly — visibly larger week to week. By late June a busy nest holds 100–200 workers and is roughly the size of a grapefruit.
July — the colony scales up
Worker numbers climb into the high hundreds. You'll start to notice flight activity at the entry point — a steady stream of wasps coming and going. Workers are still on a protein-hunting diet at this stage, which is why they're catching flies and caterpillars rather than swarming bins. Most homeowners don't notice a problem yet.
August — peak everything
This is the month most treatment requests come in across Stockport. Two things happen at once. First, the colony hits maximum size — 3,000 workers for a common wasp colony, more for German wasps. Second, the queen stops laying eggs because the colony is now producing new queens and males instead of workers, which means workers are no longer needed to feed protein-rich larvae. The workers, suddenly without a job and with bodies geared for sugar, switch to scavenging carbohydrates. This is why August is when wasps appear at picnics, fizzy drinks, fallen fruit, and rubbish bins. They're also defending a much larger nest, making them noticeably more aggressive.
September — the decline begins
New queens and males leave the nest to mate. Mated queens fly off to find a hibernation site. Males die within days of mating. The original nest still has thousands of workers but is no longer growing, and dies-back through the month. Wasps remain aggressive — possibly more so, as they're now disorientated and food sources are dwindling.
October — collapse
The colony falls apart. Workers, having no eggs to feed and no queen directing them, become sluggish and die in increasing numbers. By the end of the month most nests are silent. Any wasp you see indoors in October is either a confused worker or, more often, a new queen looking for a hibernation spot.
November to April — the empty months
Wasps are almost entirely absent. The hibernating queens are tucked into quiet cavities — sometimes inside houses, in lofts and under-floor voids. They occasionally wake on warm winter days and appear groggily at a window. They are not aggressive at this stage and the right response is to gently usher them outside.
What this means for treatment timing
The right time to treat is when the nest is causing a problem, regardless of month. Some specific timing notes:
- May–June: easiest treatments — small nests, fewer wasps, less risk. If you spot one early, deal with it now.
- July: standard treatment, well within manageable risk.
- August: highest demand, biggest colonies, most aggressive workers. Same-day appointments fill quickly across Greater Manchester — book early in the day.
- September: still worth treating any active nest causing problems. Workers remain dangerous.
- October: we'll usually advise waiting if the nest is in a low-traffic area — natural collapse is days away. We treat where there's still a real risk.
- November–April: no active nest to treat. If you've found an old, papery, hollow nest in your loft, you can safely remove it — it's empty and won't be reused.
Active wasp nest right now?
£60 fixed fee, same-day across Stockport and Greater Manchester. Earlier in the season is easier — book before August if you've already spotted activity.
Call to BookFrequently Asked Questions
Wasp season begins in late April when fertilised queens emerge from hibernation. You'll see large, slow-flying solitary wasps for a few weeks while they hunt for a nest site. The colony begins building in May, but you typically don't notice anything until June or July.
August into early September. The colony has reached peak size — 3,000 to 6,000 workers for a common wasp nest — and the queen has stopped laying. Workers switch from a protein-rich diet to scavenging sugar, which is why they suddenly appear at outdoor meals and bins. They're also defending a much larger nest.
By late October most colonies have collapsed. Workers and males die in autumn, and only newly mated queens survive — these hibernate alone in soil, log piles, or quiet sheds and emerge the following April. By November, any wasp you see is either a confused late survivor or a queen looking for somewhere to overwinter.
Yes, if the nest is causing problems. A September colony is past peak but still aggressive, still defending the nest, and still capable of stinging repeatedly. The 'wait it out' advice only works if you can genuinely avoid the nest for the remaining 4-6 weeks. Most properties can't.
No — wasp nests are single-use. The queen who built last year's nest dies in autumn. New queens that emerge from her colony hibernate elsewhere and start their own nests in fresh locations the following spring. However, the same property can attract a new queen each year if the conditions remain favourable (a quiet cavity with a small entrance).
Late autumn brings two species into homes for different reasons. New queens are looking for somewhere to hibernate — they often choose lofts, under-floor spaces, and unused rooms. Confused late workers from a collapsing colony find their way through gaps and can't navigate back out. Both situations resolve themselves by November.