If it feels like wasp and hornet nests appear out of nowhere in midsummer, that’s not your imagination. Stinging insect colonies follow a predictable growth cycle tied to the seasons — and understanding that cycle can help you catch a problem early, before a small nest becomes a large and dangerous one. Here’s what to expect throughout the year in Sussex and Morris County.
Spring (April – May)
The queen selects a nesting site and begins building the first cells of the nest by herself, using chewed wood fiber. She lays the first eggs and raises the first generation of workers alone. Nests are tiny at this stage — often no larger than a golf ball — and colonies contain only a handful of insects. This is the ideal time to address a nest. Small nests are far easier and safer to treat than established summer colonies, and the queen hasn’t yet produced the large defensive workforce that makes late-season nests dangerous.
Early Summer (June)
The first generation of workers takes over nest-building and foraging duties, freeing the queen to focus exclusively on laying eggs. Colony populations begin growing rapidly. A yellow jacket nest that had 50 workers in May may have 500 by the end of June. Nests are now clearly visible in many cases — you’ll see paper wasp combs under eaves, bald-faced hornet nests growing in trees and shrubs, and increased yellow jacket activity near ground openings. If you notice a nest at this stage, treat it sooner rather than later.
Midsummer (July – August)
This is peak season. Yellow jacket colonies can exceed 4,000 workers. Bald-faced hornet nests grow to football or basketball size. Paper wasp nests reach maximum comb size. Colonies are at their most defensive during this period — they have the most to protect and the most workers available to do it. This is when the vast majority of stinging incidents occur in New Jersey. Nests that were easy to walk past in May are now genuinely dangerous to approach. This is also when yellow jackets shift their foraging toward protein and sugar (picnic food, garbage, open drinks) as the colony prepares for fall reproduction.
Late Summer / Early Fall (September – October)
Colonies produce new queens and males in preparation for winter. Yellow jackets become increasingly aggressive as natural food sources decline and competition increases. Stinging incidents remain high. By mid-to-late October, worker populations begin dying off as temperatures drop and food becomes scarce. The old queen dies. Only newly fertilized queens survive, seeking overwintering sites to restart the cycle next spring.
Winter (November – January)
Active colonies are gone. Abandoned nests — paper nests in trees, in eaves, or in structures — are safe to remove at this time, though they will not be reused next season regardless. Overwintering queens may be tucked into wall voids, attic spaces, or tree cavities on your property. This is a good time to seal potential entry points and schedule a preventative inspection with Bustabug before the new season begins.
The Bottom Line
Early treatment is always easier, safer, and less expensive than late-season intervention. If you spot a nest forming on your property in spring or early summer, that’s the moment to call — not after it’s grown into a midsummer colony with thousands of defensive workers.
Dealing with a stinging insect problem in Sussex or Morris County? Call Bustabug Pest Control at (973) 721-9197 for a free in-person consultation. We’ve got your six.