Removing a wasp nest on your own is prohibited by law and can result in a fine. For relocation, you can contact beekeepers, nature conservation associations or exterminators in the area. These capture the wasps and release them again at a new location at an appropriate distance. The fire department is only responsible if the nest is in public places or buildings. Anyone who notices the formation of a wasp's nest can stop the queen wasp from building in time using home remedies.
How do you remove a wasp nest?
You are not allowed to remove the wasp nest yourself, as the animals are protected species. Only if peaceful coexistence is not possible - for example because the wasp colony has settled on your terrace - can a pest control company or the local beekeeper carry out a relocation. This involves costs that you must bear yourself.
Removing a wasp nest yourself
Fumigate, smash, spray with construction foam, burn - there are many martial-sounding suggestions when you're looking for home remedies to remove a wasp's nest. The fact is, however, that all of these methods arestrictly prohibited- and anyone who is caught doing so must expect a not insignificantfine. In Germany, wasps are underNature Protection and may neither be killed nor caught.
Removing a wasp nest on your own is dangerous anyway, both for you and for the animals: wasps defend themselves when they are attacked. Anyone who tampers with their nest must expect numerous wasp stings - and they are painful and, in rare cases, for example if there is an as yet unknown allergy, even dangerous. In addition, the animals usually do not survive the removal of the wasp nest or improper relocation.
Chemical insecticides kill wasps, but they also pose a risk to the he alth of children, animals and the environment. Therefore, it is better to avoid using them.
Only proven professionals such as pest controllers (also called exterminators in some places) or beekeepers are allowed to carry out a relocation if you have previously applied for and approved this from the responsible authority. The nature conservation authority is usually responsible, but it can also be the city administration or the district office.
However, permission will only be granted if you can show a good reason for removing the wasp nest. This could be, for example, a (proven!) allergy or a severe impairment of the quality of living. If there is no such reason, the application may be rejected.
Tip
Pay more attention to wasp queens in spring. If you notice that such an animal keeps flying to the same place, you can spoil the future location of the wasp's nest. This can be done, for example, by putting unpleasant scents there for wasps or simply blocking the queen's access.
Removal of wasp nests in and around the house
If you are a house or apartment owner, you must bear the costs of applying for and professionally removing the wasp nest yourself. Tenants, on the other hand, can demand these costs from their landlord, because according to a ruling by the Munich District Court on January 24th. As of June 2011, the removal of a wasp nest is part of the maintenance costs and must therefore be paid by the landlord. He is also not allowed to pass these costs on to operating costs. So if you as a tenant notice a wasp's nest, report it to your landlord - he has to take care of it. Only if he does not fulfill his obligation can you take action yourself and invoice him for the costs incurred.
A wasp nest directly on the window can lead to significant restrictions because, for example, it can no longer be ventilated.
Removing a wasp nest in the garden
Whether the removal of a wasp nest in the garden is approved by the responsible authority depends on the location of the nest. You have a good chance of being approved if the nest is in a location that is heavily frequented by people. This could be the terrace or the garden shed, for example. Here, professional removal or relocation is recommended either in spring, when the colony is still developing, or in autumn.
As soon as winter approaches, the wasp colony dies off and the old nest remains empty. Only the young queens look for warm winter quarters and found a new colony next spring. So if you can wait six months, you should wait until autumn to remove it. The empty nest can be safely removed by November at the latest.
Tip
Pay more attention to wasps in the house in autumn! The animals like to look for places to overwinter in apartments, houses, sheds or roller shutter boxes. In addition, new nests are often built next year near the old ones - the old, empty nest remains uninhabited.
Removal costs
Do not under any circumstances remove wasp nests yourself - in the worst case, this can result in up to 50.000 euros fine! Instead, hire a reputable pest control company or local beekeeper. Local environmental protection associations sometimes take over the professional removal of a wasp nest. The fire department – as is sometimes advised – is not responsible for this.
Addresses of reputable companies can be obtained, for example, from the responsible environmental office, the city administration or the professional association of pest controllers. Get a written cost estimate, which should not exceed around 100 to 150 euros including travel. It only becomes more expensive if the nest is difficult to access and a lifting platform has to be used, for example.
How professional removal works
Professionals do not simply destroy wasp nests, but capture the flying animals, carefully remove the nest and reinsert it somewhere else. The experts proceed as follows:
- Interception of the flight-capable animals (i.e. the workers) with a suction device
- Collecting in a catch box
- careful removal of the nest with queen, honeycomb and brood
- Relocating the nest into a special hornet box
- Brood cells should be preserved
- Setting up the hornet box with the nest in another location, e.g. in the forest
- Catch box is also placed in the hornet box and opened
- Removal of the (now empty) collection box a few days later
- Ideally, a follow-up inspection will take place a little later
Relocating the wasp nest is only possible in full protective clothing. In the following video you can clearly see how such a relocation takes place from minute 20:10 to 23:00.
Keine Angst vor Wespen | Die Nordreportage | NDR
Identifying a wasp nest
There are around 60 different species of wasps worldwide; two species in particular are native to Germany: the common wasp (Vespula vulgaris) and the German wasp (Vespula germanica). The rarer hornet (Vespa crabro) is also a wasp. While the first species are difficult to distinguish for the layperson, the hornets are noticeable simply because of their size. You can recognize the different species and their nests by the following features, which are clearly shown in the table.
If there are a noticeable number of animals flying around on or even in the house or garden, it is likely that there is a nest somewhere hidden. Find a dark, rain-protected place with opportunities to enter and exit, but be careful: stay at least three meters away, otherwise the animals could perceive you as an intruder and attack you.
In addition to the German wasp and the common wasp, there are others in Germany, but they are much less likely to be found near humans and their populations are also significantly smaller. These include, for example,
- Saxon wasp (Dolichovespula saxonica): approx. 200 to 300 animals per nest. The nests are often freely hanging in the roof beams and reach a diameter of up to 25 centimeters.
- Field wasps (Polistinae): also often build their nests close to people, e.g. under roof tiles or in sheds in places exposed to the sun, paper-like nests with exposed honeycombs and without a protective cover, attached to the surface with a handle.
These species are considered to be much more peaceful than the German wasp or the common wasp, as long as you leave them alone. In contrast to the other two species, they do not disturb the summer coffee table as they feed mainly on flower nectar.
Prevent nest building
Between mid-April and early May, the young queens begin building a new nest. The old nests from the previous year are no longer used, but are often built in the immediate vicinity of the old nest. Wasp nests in the early stages of construction can still be removed as long as they are only inhabited by the queen. This means that up to the size of a table tennis ball (and as long as no other animals are visible!) the nest can be removed and the queen driven away.
How the distance works:
- Disturbing the queen while building by frequently knocking or hitting the nest.
- Removing the nest ball in the absence of the queen
- Place the removed nest ball somewhere else
- Treat the area with an odor neutralizing agent (e.g. lemon juice)
- Close any entrances to the nesting site.
These measures are no longer possible as soon as more wasps have hatched and are flying close to the nest. From this point onwards, illegal disposal will result in a high fine. Therefore, try to stop the construction of a wasp nest early on.
In the early stages, you can also try to prevent nest building with home remedies. At this point, the young queen can easily be driven away by disruptive actions, e.g. by attaching fluttering bands or similar in the immediate vicinity of the nest. Spraying the queen with water also drives her away from the targeted nesting site.
Wasps are also very sensitive to smells and can be easily driven away by unpleasant smells. For example, essential oils with a citrus scent (citronella), but also tea tree or clove oil, are suitable. Wasps also don't particularly like the smell of basil and garlic, so you can spray garlic tea or basil oil or plant the plants mentioned.
Dispose of wasp nest
A completely empty wasp nest can be removed in autumn and - provided it has not been treated chemically, e.g. with insecticides - disposed of with organic waste or in the compost. The nests are made exclusively of wood fibers that can be easily composted. If chemical agents such as wasp or construction foam were used, this is considered hazardous waste. This must be disposed of properly and does not belong in the household waste.
Sometimes it is recommended to simply leave old wasp nests hanging. After all, the animals wouldn't build another one where one was already hanging. This is not entirely true, as young queens often build close to where they were born. They are not impressed by an old nest and have to be driven elsewhere.
FAQ
How do you remove a wasp nest?
In principle, a wasp nest can only be removed by a specialist - for example a pest controller or beekeeper. The experts do not destroy the nest, but carefully capture the animals with a vacuum cleaner, remove the nest and reinsert it somewhere else in a hornet box. The wasps are released again.
How much does it cost to remove a wasp nest?
The removal of a wasp nest by a specialist costs around 100 to 150 euros, provided no complex measures such as the use of a lifting platform are necessary. Beekeepers also offer this partial service free of charge. The consumer advice centers advise getting a cost estimate and under no circumstances paying the bill in cash at the front door.
Can you remove a wasp nest yourself?
Wasps fall under the Federal Nature Conservation Act and may neither be caught nor killed. It is therefore strictly forbidden to remove, destroy or even relocate a wasp nest yourself. This may only be done upon application to the responsible authority, with approval and by experts.
How much does it cost to kill wasps?
A violation of these guidelines can be punished with a fine of up to 50,000 euros, depending on the severity! Removal is only permitted in the very initial phase of nest building, when the wasp nest is no larger than a table tennis ball and there are no wasps flying apart from the queen.
How do I dispose of a wasp nest?
A wasp nest that is completely emptied in autumn can be removed in accordance with nature conservation and disposed of in the organic waste bin or on the compost. It consists of wood fibers that decompose quickly when exposed to moisture. However, if the nest has been treated chemically, for example with an insecticide or wasp foam, it is considered hazardous waste. This must also not be disposed of with household waste.
