Snow, sleet and subfreezing temperatures should result in an absence of insects for a while, especially the ones which sting. Despite the many negative attributes of the January 2025 blizzard, at least a stroll outside would not result in bothersome bugs.
Expectations aside, the bugs are back. Social insects seemed to have the quickest return to activity in panhandle Florida. Social insects are the species which live together in colonies, each member having a specific function.
The most commonly recognized are wasps, bees, termites and ants. The species which occupy these colonies serve one or more reproducing queens which make replacements for the casualties of life in the wild.
Wasps are usually observed by people on nests which are located in a protected spot well above ground level. In reality, most wasp species will nest in a wide variety of locations. These wasps are working on a ground nest under decaying forest mulch.
European Honeybees are the most recognized pollinators in the environment and live in hives with thousands of female workers. They are considered by many to be the most efficient collectors of pollen and nectar in North America.
As the name suggests, European Honeybees are not native to North America. There are other bee species, such as plasterer bees, which also live in colonies.
Bumblebees and carpenter bees, two similar but separate species, are not considered social insects. They nest individually and do not behave in the coordinated manner of honeybees.
Honeybee hives are active all year round in north Florida. In the winter they eat their honey reserves or consume a sugar and water mix provided by beekeepers.
Wasps in north Florida, and most other regions, are known for their dyspeptic nature and vile retaliation if provoked. They are the grumps of the mini aerial realm.
These social wasps live in colonies much like honeybees and may have up to several thousand members. Depending on the species, they build nests in a protected place above the ground or below the soil surface.
Some social wasps are omnivorous, feeding on overripe fruit and carrion. Some of these social wasps, such as yellow jackets, may scavenge for dead insects to provide for their young.
Like honeybees, social wasp colonies consist of mostly female workers. Another similarity is only the females have stingers. Unlike honeybees, the wasp queens live only one year.
A majority of the wasp colony dies in autumn, leaving only the young, mated queens (and a few attendants) alive.
In spring the young queens search for a suitable nesting site. The queen will build a basic wood fiber nest roughly the size of a hickory nut and will begin to lay eggs.
There are also solitary wasps which live and operate alone in panhandle Florida, such as the Scoliid wasp. They do not construct nests, instead depositing their eggs on host insects which serve as a sort of mobile nursery/café.
Ants usually are seen busily scurrying around on the ground or other surfaces. To the casual observer, this appears as nothing more than random and meaningless motion, but reality is quite different.
These are the worker ants which are most commonly viewed and are seeking food for their nest mates. It is their job during their short lives to procure an endless source of nutrition for those staying in the nest.
Remaining in the nest are many soldier ants which defend their home territory. When an intruder invades, they counterattack and will move the eggs to safer locations if necessary.
The queens, and there can be several in a colony, produce the next generation of ants. Their title implies royal treatment, but their subterranean existence and repetitive task have little nobility associated with them.
So, when the going gets tough, it is good to know the whole colony will work together to complete their tasks. When the weather is freezing, they huddle together so that some are sure to survive.
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