The big, yellow-black buzzers scare many people, but hornets are actually quite peaceful. Most people don't want a hornet's nest in their garden, but removing it on your own is forbidden. Now you can.

A hornet's nest should be removed by a professional

Table of Contents

Show all
  1. the essentials in brief
  2. Remove hornet's nest prohibited
  3. Remove hornet's nest in winter
  4. prevent construction
  5. The right handling
  6. frequently asked Questions

    7. the essentials in brief

    • Hornet nests may not be removed without permission.
    • In order to be allowed to have a hornet's nest removed, a valid reason is required, e.g. an allergy to insect bites.
    • Hornet nests are not removed and destroyed but relocated.
    • You can try to get the hornets to change clothes voluntarily, but without actively bothering them.

    Remove hornets nest - Not without permission

    In many cases, hornet nests are quickly discovered, after all, the animals prefer to build them at dizzy heights. The only question is: how do you get rid of the nest? If you have small children who play a lot in the garden, or if you are allergic to wasp and hornet venom, you will quickly become afraid of such a sight. What if you get stung all the time? But before you frantically reach for the garden hose or the construction foam and in this - by the way very risky way - finish off the animals and thus also the nest, you should be aware of this fact: The independent removal and killing of hornets - and by the way also from wasps, bees and other insects - is strictly forbidden according to the Federal Nature Conservation Act and can be fined with up to 50,000 EUR. Therefore, for the time being, you must leave the nest where it is.

    get approval

    Removal of the hornet's nest is only possible in exceptional cases, but only by designated experts and after official approval. You will receive this permit 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, on the Internet you will find various forms that you only need to print out, fill out and submit, the following information must be listed:

    • insect species: Which insect species 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 located on your property? Is it possibly on or even in the house?
    • Reason: Provide a valid reason for the removal. "Fear" is not a sufficient reason for a permit, but an allergy to an insect bite is.
    • date and company: Provide a possible date for removal and the company you are considering (e.g. a pest controller or a specially trained beekeeper).

    If you have one, you should also submit a copy of your allergy pass - you will be asked for this anyway when you state the reason "insect venom allergy" - and, if applicable, (a) medical certificate(s) about hornet stings that have already occurred. Photos showing the size and location of the hornet's nest are also helpful. But beware: You are not entitled to an approval of your application!

    Remove and relocate hornet's nest

    As soon as the official approval has been obtained, hire a professional for the planned removal of the hornet's nest. This can be the local fire brigade (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 animal is killed; instead, it is resettled to a place at least four kilometers away. Don't do the removal or relocation on your own, it's better to leave it to the professionals in their hazmat suits! These appear in full protection, since the hornets will of course not let this intervention go through them without resistance. As a rule, the animals are caught together with the nest using a special suction device and taken away.

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    Who pays for the relocation of the hornet's nest?

    You will bear the costs of relocating the hornet's nest yourself. Expect to pay around EUR 150 to 250, depending on the provider and region. This practically covers the expenses of the expert, whereas you often only pay a fee for the coffee cup when you call the fire brigade. However, the men and women of the fire brigade - especially if it is a voluntary team - have their hands full, especially during the summer months, so that a hornet's nest is not exactly on the priority list.

    digression

    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 translocation. This should have the best chance in spring, when the queen is looking for a suitable nesting site and wants to start building the nest in a place that is unsuitable for her. If, on the other hand, the nest is already complete and populated, the probability of a move is low - unless the hornet colony grows so large that it divides. However, this phenomenon, which biologists call "filial formation", occurs only very rarely. To get hornets to move, you should:
    • hang up a hornet nest box near the old nest
    • prepare it with treats (e.g. pieces of ripe fruit)
    • leave both nests alone and watch

    Remove hornet's nest in winter

    In any case, the hornet's nest only lasts a few months, because the colony dies off completely in autumn. Only the young queens hibernate - usually near the old nest, perhaps in a piece of rotten wood or in a burrow - while the workers and the drones are gone 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. Protective measures are of course no longer necessary in this case. As soon as you have completely cleared away the nest, take a close look at the area and seal any entry holes. This way the hornet queens cannot build another nest next year.

    Prevent building a hornet's nest

    "With Sorte we are observing the dramatic decline in insects - and killing ecologically important species such as hornets or 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 built nearby. So if you already had a hornet's nest in the garden or on the house this year, you should use the winter months for repair and clean-up work. If the young queens no longer find optimal conditions in spring, they fly on and look for another place.

    Life cycle of hornets

    Construction begins in late spring

    From around the beginning to mid-April, but earlier or later depending on the weather, the young queens wake up from hibernation. They are often still weak and easy to find during this time. They often crawl around in the garden. First, the animals go in search of food to regain their strength. But they also look for a new nesting place quite quickly. 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 conspicuously colored, keeps flying at a certain object, she will start building her nest there. Now is the right time to intervene.

    Hornets like to nest here

    The animals like to build their nests in trees, but they also make do with buildings with a lot of wood such as garden sheds, attics, barns and sheds or cladding of walls and roofs. Cavities, such as those found under canopies, in roller shutter boxes or in bird nest boxes, are also used. Hornet nests are brownish in color and have a structure reminiscent of paper. They are open at the bottom because the animals drop their droppings at this point - and with around half a kilogram of insects eaten per day, there is quite a lot of droppings! Place a bucket under the nest here to avoid damage.

    Hornets feel particularly comfortable in bird feeders

    How to prevent nest building

    Hornets need rotten wood to build their nests, which they chew up, salivate in and finally glue together. This is how the paper-like structure is created. First, make sure you clear away any rotten wood during the winter months. Carefully search for and seal cavities in casing, roofing, etc. so that the queen cannot find a suitable place for her nest. If you see them flying around in a certain area more often, check this and close any entry holes there. In addition, you can make such places unattractive for the animals by scenting them with clove oil. Hornets do not like this scent at all and try to keep their distance as much as possible.

    offer alternatives

    It is not without reason that hornets are under nature protection: due to persistent 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, at the same time they serve as tasty food for numerous songbirds - and in a harmless 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. Rotten wood is also welcome here, which the animals can use to build their nests.

    digression

    Are you liable for damage such as B. stab wounds to others, how do you assume a hornet's nest on your own property?

    Do you have a hornet's nest in your backyard and a neighbor who is threatening you with dire consequences if you don't remove it? Point out to the person in a friendly but firm manner that removing hornets' nests is illegal and also that a permit is required - and that it is not easy to obtain one. Furthermore, you do not have to worry about any consequences, no matter how the neighbor may also threaten this: If he is stung by a hornet, you are not liable for it. That would then fall under the very personal bad luck of the neighbors, since they have to put up with the hornets.

    The right way to 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 danger of a hornet bite is very low, because these are peaceful animals. Hornets are more likely to flee and will only sting if they feel threatened or if their escape route is blocked. Nothing can happen to you as long as you follow these rules:

    • Keep a distance of at least two meters from the hornet's nest.
    • It is best to stretch a barrier tape around the spot or set up a barrier.
    • Move as little as possible near the nest.
    • Do not tamper with the nest!
    • Never spray it with spray, water or insect repellent!
    • Don't try to smoke out the hornets either!
    • The hornets see this as an attack.
    • Don't make any frantic movements around a hornet.
    • Do not wave your hands and/or arms to scare the animals away.
    • Don't blow on the hornets either!
    • No lawn mowing within five meters of the nest!
    • Attach insect screens to windows and doors so that no hornet can get lost in the house.

    frequently asked Questions

    Are hornets dangerous?

    No. Despite their devastating reputation, hornets are not aggressive toward humans unless left alone.

    I don't care if 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 you are breaking the law with this project and making yourself liable to prosecution, it is also extremely dangerous: If you try to kill the animals in the nest with means such as smoke, water or construction foam, you will never catch them all at the same time - and the remainder should be pretty angry and then make your life difficult in turn. Such stressed animals stay aggressive and then actually pose a threat - which they wouldn't be if you just left them alone. You can also expect to get stung quite often when implementing 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 be caught and thus punished, but you can. An unpopular neighbor who isn't on your side anyway - or who simply has a heart for the animals, is enough. Many communities also send their employees on patrols to keep an eye out for suspicious activities and are happy to ask around in the neighborhood for this purpose. However, it is less likely that you will actually be fined EUR 50,000 - only how much you actually have to pay depends on the seriousness of your offense and the regulations in your community.

    tips

    Hornets can be kept quite well away from the house and terrace if you cultivate plants such as basil, tomatoes, lemon balm, lavender or frankincense there. These are very easy to care for in tubs and decorate every terrace or window sill.

Category:

Animals in the garden