I have my hummingbird feeders up, and you should to, because Anna’s hummingbirds spend their winters here. They eat insects and love free food at feeders.
So far, this wasp queen is the only visitor I’ve noticed. She’s getting fat and happy before she settles in for her winter nap.
How do I know it’s a girl? Because, only the queen lives beyond fall. The rest of the wasp colony dies. That’s why if you have wasp nests around your house and yard, now is the time to knock them down. No one is home. Trust me. This queen doesn’t live there anymore, either. She will burrow under leaf and plant debris until spring. Because our weather has been warm, she’s been out to eat.
It’s all up to her to establish a new colony next year. Laying eggs one by one, and all alone until they hatch.
Wasps are friends. They help keep other insect populations in check, such as aphids and squash bug nymphs.
~Debbie
P.S. Hummingbird feeder recipe: 1 part sugar, 4 parts water. Stir to dissolve. No food coloring needed. Refresh every few days. Put traditional holiday lights around feeders to keep them from freezing, or bring them in each night and put them out in the morning.