Remove and dispose of the wasp nest yourself

Under the roof is a popular place where wasp queens reside with their colony. When the busy workers swarm out to get food for the brood, it is almost impossible to prevent the occupants from being bothered. However, the legal situation only allows the removal of wasp nests if there is a danger due to small children, elderly people with restricted mobility or allergy sufferers in the immediate vicinity Vicinity. These instructions explain in detail how to drive away wasps in accordance with the law, how to remove the nest structure yourself and how to dispose of it properly. Benefit from our tips on how to proceed professionally and safely.

Common locations for a wasp nest

If wasps buzz around in the living room or if the coffee table on the terrace is surrounded by buzzers, there is reason to assume that a colony of wasps has settled in your house. The dilemma begins unnoticed as early as March/April when a young queen wasp chooses your home as a nesting site for her colony. Therefore, keep a regular lookout for a wasp nest at the following locations:

• Under the roof
• In roller shutter boxes or under wooden cladding
• In gazebos or old sheds
• Inside niches in the masonry

In our latitudes, it is primarily the German wasp and the common wasp that build a wasp nest for their colony at these locations as dark cave nests. These species are also responsible for the bad reputation of wasps, as they form by far the largest colonies with several thousand workers. If the nest is still under construction, there is a much better chance of preventing settlement by removing the shell yourself.

Obtain regulatory approval

All wasp species are subject to the Federal Nature Conservation Act because their population is endangered. Killing wasps, destroying their nest or otherwise disturbing their rhythm of life is punishable by heavy fines. If you have found a wasp nest that poses a threat to the residents of the house, you need a special permit from the responsible authority to remove it. As a rule, the lower nature conservation authority or the municipal regulatory office take care of the matter. You make it easier for the officials to make a decision if you add further information to the informal application. For example, a medical certificate that proves an insect allergy is helpful. If you can use photos and explanations to show that the wasp nest poses an acute threat to the immediate vicinity of the apartment, the chances of a positive decision are increased.

protective gear

Wasps are not naturally aggressive. Rather, the workers are busy and tireless in their efforts to bring in food for the offspring and the queen. On the other hand, if the wasps feel threatened, they defend their nest vehemently. If you approach the construction to drive away the colony, you should only do so with protective equipment that is based on beekeeper equipment:

• Protective suit as overall with helmet and integrated veil
• Alternatively, a beekeeper shirt with a beaded collar, protective pants, helmet and veil
• Sturdy gloves with long cuffs
• rubber or leather boots
• Long-sleeved jogging suit

The veil should be attached to the collar with snaps so that it cannot come loose as a result of hasty movements. If you pull in a thin plastic cable at the bottom edge, the veil does not lie down on your face with every gust of wind. We recommend additionally protecting the neck with a collar, as used in accident medicine after whiplash.

The best time

Choosing the right date for the removal of wasp nests has a significant influence on the successful course. The following points in time have proven themselves in practice:

• Ideally, the nest is still under construction between April and August
• There is little activity in the nest at night
• Alternatively, in the early morning hours when twilight improves visibility

If you decide to make an appointment at night, please do not shine a flashlight on the nest. It is better if you illuminate the burrow with red or yellow light that does not attract the insects.

plan an escape route

However you want to remove a wasp nest; You will face aggressive insects that deliver extremely painful stings. Therefore, plan an escape route in advance that you can use to get to safety quickly. Pace the path to eliminate tripping hazards, like toys or garden tools lying around.

Relocate instead of killing

If the wasp nest is in a freely accessible location and can be easily detached from the ground, there is a possibility of the entire colony being resettled. This measure makes an important contribution to environmental protection, because wasps are an indispensable part of the ecological balance. Here's how to do it correctly:

• Put on protective clothing and seal the entry hole in the nest with construction foam
• Cover the wasp nest with a close-meshed net
• Detach from the pad and put in an air-permeable bag

Transport the nest to a location about 4 kilometers away. Choose a partially shaded, wind-protected place to place the nest. Do not remove the sack and net until the nest is securely in place. Keep protective clothing on throughout the resettlement. The wasps will remove the construction foam in the entry hole on their own within a short time, as they devour the material.

Poisonous wasp foam only outdoors

If a wasp nest is firmly attached to brickwork or the roof in several places, there is a risk that it will break apart and a swarm of angry wasps will attack you. Since the option of resettlement is now eliminated, the focus is on destruction with wasp foam. In contrast, wasp spray is too volatile to safely remove a wasp nest and is primarily suitable for controlling individual specimens. Since the toxic substances pose a health risk to people and pets, chemical insecticides are only used outdoors. This approach has proven to be practical:

• Put on protective clothing at the recommended time and plan the escape route
• From a safe distance of 3 to 4 metres, completely cover the nest with wasp foam
• Leave the insecticide on overnight

The next morning, check to see if life is still stirring in the nest. If you can no longer register any activity, place an insect net around the burrow as a precaution. Only then do you detach the nest from the ground and immerse it in a bucket of boiling hot water. Now you can assume that all larvae, workers and the queen have been destroyed.

Dispose of abandoned wasp nest

If you managed to drive the wasps out of the nest, wait until winter. In the period from November to April you can assume with a probability bordering on certainty that not a single wasp is left in the nest. The mated young queen looks for a safe quarters for the winter time, where she survives frost and snow unscathed.

Knock down an abandoned nest with a hammer or spade. After roughly removing the nest, scrape off the substrate and carefully clean the surface with a disinfectant. Remaining scents could tempt a young queen who is looking for an apartment to settle here again next year.

Since a wasp nest consists mainly of wood fibers, it is pure organic waste and can be disposed of in the compost. If you treated the nest with a chemical insecticide, however, it has no place on the compost heap. The remaining toxins could cause significant damage to the microorganisms. In this case, please dispose of the nest in the household waste.

Tips for a peaceful coexistence

Wasps have a completely unjustified reputation for being aggressive at all times and bad-tempered with the intention of biting people and pets. The fact is that they are among the most industrious creatures in the animal kingdom, pollinating plants and consuming pests. If a wasp nest is not found in a household with small children or a current allergy problem, peaceful coexistence is definitely within the realm of possibility. If you follow these tips, you can prevent painful conflicts on the one hand and genocide on the other:

• Never hit wasps or blow on insects
• Put insect screens on the windows
• Always cover sweet and savory foods
• Don't leave drinks out in the open
• Wear white clothes when having coffee on the balcony
• On the table lay out lemon slices studded with cloves
• Wasps drive away with citronella scented candles
• Harvest ripe fruit in the garden in good time
• Do not leave fallen fruit lying around for a long time

With a clever diversion, you can prevent hungry wasps from attacking the coffee table and causing panic among the guests. Set out some sliced, overripe grapes at a safe distance. As found in field trials, bowls filled with jam or honey are not suitable as a distraction, as the insects react aggressively to these sweets.

Conclusion

If there is a wasp nest under the roof or at another location in the house, conflicts with the residents of the house can hardly be avoided. If you decide to remove the nest on your own, this is only allowed with a special permit. Wasps are subject to nature conservation and may only be fought if their presence poses a risk to small children or allergy sufferers. As long as a nest is under construction between April and August, you can relocate the busy little people. Large nests often require the use of wasp foam if the burrow is outdoors. Equip yourself with a sturdy protective suit and take action against the wasps at night or in the early hours of the morning. As long as you do not introduce chemical substances into a wasp nest, it can be disposed of as organic waste on the compost. Otherwise, the poisoned material belongs in the household or hazardous waste.

Learn more about insect repellent