The large, yellow-black buzzers scare many people, but hornets are actually quite peaceful. Most people still don't want to have a hornet's nest in their garden, but removing it on your own is prohibited. You can do that now.
Can you remove a hornet's nest yourself?
Removing a hornet's nest yourself is prohibited under the Federal Nature Conservation Act and can result in high pen alties. In exceptional cases, you can apply for official approval for removal. The nest should then be relocated by professionals and not destroyed.
Remove hornet nest – Not without permission
Hornet nests are often discovered quickly, as the animals prefer to build them at lofty heights. The only question is: How do you get rid of the nest? Anyone who has small children who play a lot in the garden or who is allergic to wasp and hornet venom will quickly become frightened at such a sight. What if you get stung all the time? But before you panic and reach for the garden hose or construction foam and kill the animals and thus the nest in this - very risky way - you should be aware of this fact: removing and killing hornets yourself - and by the way also from wasps, bees and other insects - is strictly prohibited according to the Federal Nature Conservation Act and can result in pen alties of up to 50.000 EUR will be charged. Therefore, you must first leave the nest where it is.
Get approval
Removal of the hornet's nest is only possible in exceptional cases, but only by qualified experts and after official approval. You can obtain this approval by submitting an informal written application to the district office responsible for your region or the lower nature conservation authority in the city administration. In this letter, you will find various forms on the Internet that you simply need to print out, fill out and submit, the following information must be included:
- Insect Type: Which type of insect should be removed? In addition to hornets, wasps, bees and bumblebees also build nests and can sting.
- Location of the nest: Where exactly is the nest on your property? Is it possibly on or even in the house?
- Justification: Provide a valid reason for the removal. “Fear” is not a sufficient reason for approval, but an allergy to insect bites is.
- Appointment and company: Specify a possible date for the removal and the company you are considering (e.g. a pest controller or a specially trained beekeeper).
In addition, if you have one, you should also submit a copy of your allergy certificate - you will be asked for this anyway when you state the reason "insect venom allergy" - and, if necessary, a medical certificate(s) about previous hornet stings. Photos that show the size and location of the hornet's nest are also helpful. But be careful: you are not en titled to have your application approved!
Remove and relocate hornet nest
As soon as official approval has been received, hire a professional for the planned removal of the hornet's nest. This can be the local fire department (but they also have other things to do and don't always have time!), but also a beekeeper or a pest control company. As a rule, the nest is not destroyed and the animals are killed; instead, they are relocated to a location at least four kilometers away. Do not carry out the removal or relocation on your own; it is better to leave it to the professionals in their protective suits! These appear in full protection, as the hornets will of course not tolerate this intervention without resistance. As a rule, the animals and their nest are captured and taken away using a special suction device.
Who will pay for the relocation of the hornet's nest?
You will bear the costs of relocating the hornet's nest yourself. You can expect to pay around 150 to 250 EUR, depending on the provider and region. In this way you are practically paying for the expert's expenses, whereas in a fire department operation you often only pay a fee for the coffee cup. However, the men and women of the fire department - especially if it is a volunteer team - have their hands full, especially during the summer months, so a hornet's nest is not exactly on the priority list.
Excursus
Can't you get hornets to move yourself?
As long as you don't damage or disturb the nest or the animals, you can try a scaled down version of relocation. This is likely to have the greatest chance in spring, when the queen is looking for a suitable nesting place and wants to start building her nest in a place that is unsuitable for her. However, if the nest is already finished and populated, the likelihood of a move is low - unless the hornet colony becomes so large that it divides. However, this phenomenon, which biologists call “branch formation,” only occurs very rarely. To get hornets to move you should:
- hang a hornet nesting box near the old nest
- prepare it with treats (e.g. ripe pieces of fruit)
- leave both nests alone and observe them
Removing hornet nests in winter
In any case, the hornet's nest only lasts for a few months because the colony dies off completely in the fall. Only the young queens overwinter - usually near the old nest, perhaps in a piece of rotten wood or in a hole in the ground - while the workers and the drones have disappeared by October at the latest. As soon as there are no more hornets in the nest, you can carefully remove it without permission - it will no longer be used anyway. In this case, protective measures are of course no longer necessary. As soon as you have completely cleared away the nest, take a close look at the area and close any possible entry holes. This way the hornet queens won't be able to build another nest next year.
Preventing the construction of a hornet nest
“We are observing the dramatic decline in insects with Variety – and we are killing ecologically important species such as hornets and wasps just because we are afraid of them.”
Because hornets like to stay where they are: although old nests are not reused, new ones are happy to be built near them. So if you already had a hornet's nest in your garden or house this year, you should use the winter months for repairs and clean-up work. If the young queens no longer find optimal conditions on site in spring, they fly on and look for another place.
Hornet life cycle
Construction begins in late spring
Around the beginning to mid-April, or sooner or later depending on the weather, the young queens wake up from hibernation. During this time they are often still weak and easy to find. They often crawl around in the garden. First, the animals look for food to regain their strength. But they quickly look for a new nesting place. Therefore, keep your eyes open in the spring and observe any hornets flying around in the garden: If the queen, which is up to three centimeters long and strikingly colored, repeatedly flies to a specific object, she will start building a nest there. Now is the right time to intervene.
Hornets particularly like to nest here
The animals like to build their nests in trees, but also make do with wooden structures such as garden sheds, attics, barns and sheds or cladding on walls and roofs. Cavities, such as those found under canopies, in roller shutter boxes or in bird nesting boxes, are also used. Hornet nests are brownish in color and have a structure reminiscent of paper. They are open at the bottom because this is where the animals defecate - and with around half a kilogram of insects eaten per day, that's a lot of excrement! Place a bucket under the nest here to avoid damage.
Hornets feel particularly comfortable in birdhouses
How to prevent nest building
Hornets need rotten wood to build nests, which they chew, salivate and finally stick together. This is how the paper-like structure is created. First, make sure you clear away any rotten wood during the winter months. Cavities in boarding, roofing, etc. must be carefully searched for and closed so that the queen does not find a suitable place for her nest. If you see them flying around frequently in a certain area, check it and close any entry holes there. You can also make such places unattractive to animals by scenting them with clove oil. Hornets don't like this smell at all and try to keep their distance as much as possible.
Offer alternatives
It's not without reason that hornets are protected: Due to stubborn control measures, the animals were already on the verge of extinction and are still very rarely found in many regions today. So you can ensure the continued existence of the species - and at the same time do something good for yourself, because the predatory hornets catch many other unpopular insects such as wasps and mosquitoes, and at the same time they serve as tasty food for numerous songbirds - and in a safe place in the Install a hornet nesting box in the garden. Choose a quiet spot, for example by an old tree, that you or others don't spend too much time near. You can also leave rotten wood here that the animals can use to build their nests.
Excursus
Are you liable for damage such as: B. Sting injuries to others, such as those caused by a hornet's nest on your own property?
Do you have a hornet's nest in your yard and a neighbor who is threatening you with the worst consequences if you don't remove it? Point out to the person in a friendly but firm manner that removing hornet nests is illegal and also that a permit is required for this - and this is not easy to obtain. Furthermore, you don't have to worry about any consequences, no matter how the neighbor may threaten this: If he is stung by a hornet, you will not be held liable. This would then be the neighbor's very personal bad luck, as he would have to put up with the hornet colony.
How to properly deal with hornets and their nest
If you keep enough distance, you shouldn't have a problem with hornets - even if they live under the same roof
In any case, the risk of a hornet sting is very low because they are peaceful animals. Hornets are more likely to flee and only sting if they feel attacked or if their escape route is cut off. Nothing can happen to you as long as you follow these rules:
- Stay at least two meters away from the hornet's nest.
- It is best to put up barrier tape around the area or set up a barrier.
- Move near the nest as rarely as possible.
- Do not tamper with the nest!
- Do not spray it with spray, water or insect repellent!
- Don't try to smoke out the hornets either!
- The hornets see this as an attack.
- Do not make any frantic movements near a hornet.
- Do not wave your hands and/or arms to scare the animals away.
- Don't blow on the hornets either!
- No mowing the lawn within five meters of the nest!
- Attach insect screens to windows and doors so that no hornets can get into the house.
Frequently asked questions
Are hornets dangerous?
No. Contrary to their devastating reputation, hornets are not aggressive toward humans as long as they are left alone.
I don't care whether I can get rid of the beasts or not: I want to get rid of them. Does construction foam or water help?
Quite apart from the fact that with this plan you are violating applicable law and are committing a criminal offense, it is also extremely dangerous: If you try to kill the animals in the nest with means such as smoke, water or even construction foam, you will Never get them all at the same time - and the rest will probably be pretty angry and then make your life difficult. Animals that are stressed like this remain aggressive and actually pose a danger - which they wouldn't be if you just left them alone. You can also expect to be stung quite often when carrying out your project.
How likely is it to be prosecuted for illegal nest removal?
It is often said that where there is no plaintiff, there is no judge. In fact, you don't necessarily have to get caught and punished, but you can. All it takes is an unpopular neighbor who doesn't speak well to you anyway - or who simply has a heart for animals. Many municipalities also send their employees on patrol to look out for suspicious activity and are happy to ask around the neighborhood for this purpose. Whether you will actually be sentenced to a EUR 50,000 fine is less likely - just how much you actually have to pay depends on the seriousness of your offense and the regulations in your municipality.
Tip
Hornets can be easily kept away from the house and terrace if you cultivate plants such as basil, tomatoes, lemon balm, lavender or frankincense there. These can be maintained very well in pots and decorate any terrace or windowsill.