The life cycle of the wasp can be completed in as little as 10 months, but may last up to 2 years in cooler climates. Females that do not find mates lay eggs which all produce males.
Mated females produce offspring of both sexes.
Females can begin to lay eggs after one day of emergence. Adults do not feed. They live on fat stored in their bodies. Adult life span can last up to 12 days, but a female who has deposited all her eggs may live as little as 3 or 4 days. Females deposit between 20 and 500 eggs, depending on their size.