Wasp nest removal in Nijmegen: spotting a nest
You rarely see the nest itself straight away. What gives it away is the traffic: wasps disappearing into and emerging from exactly the same spot, often in a straight line. Watch out for these signs:
- an open vertical joint or gap in the brickwork with wasps flying in and out
- activity under a roof tile, by the gutter or behind the fascia boards
- a grey, papery ball in the shed, summer house or loft
- lots of wasps indoors even though no window is open
The sooner you notice, the smaller the nest usually is. In spring a queen starts on her own; over the summer the colony grows quickly.
What not to do yourself
A can of spray or a tube of sealant looks like a quick fix, but it often backfires. Blocking the entrance does not trap the wasps: they chew a new way out, sometimes straight through the ceiling into your home. And a sting while you are up a ladder by the gutter can easily lead to a fall.
What does make sense: keep your distance and keep children and pets away from the entrance. For other pests around the home you can also rely on our pest control in Nijmegen.
How our wasp control works
First we establish which insect you are dealing with. Wasp nest removal is a different job from having a honey bee swarm rehomed by a beekeeper, and hornets call for different equipment again.
We prefer to treat in the evening, when almost the whole colony is inside and there is little flying about. A certified pest controller applies the product directly into the nest entrance so that it spreads through the nest. A nest deep inside a cavity wall can stay where it is, as it will not be used again. If it hangs well away from doors and windows and is bothering no one, it can also be left until the colony dies off naturally in autumn.
Bee nest removal in Nijmegen
Not every buzzing nest belongs to wasps. We do not exterminate honey bees. A swarm hanging like a cluster from a branch or against a wall is best collected by a beekeeper, who rehomes the colony elsewhere. If a colony has been living in a chimney or cavity wall for a while, removing that bee nest is tailor-made work: we look at the options and, where needed, refer you to a beekeeper.
Where possible we leave bumblebees alone. They rarely sting, they pollinate your garden, and their nest in the ground, a bird box or under decking is abandoned of its own accord after summer. Small bees in the mortar joints of a sunny wall are often solitary bees, such as mason bees. They are harmless. Not sure whether you have a bee nest or a wasp nest? Just describe it to us over the phone.
Hornet nest removal in Nijmegen
There are two kinds of hornet to tell apart. The European hornet is a native, large wasp with a reddish-brown and yellow body. It nests in hollow trees, nest boxes, sheds or under a canopy, and it also flies after dark, when it is drawn to lit windows. It is less aggressive than its size suggests.
The Asian hornet is darker, has yellow tips to its legs and hunts honey bees at their hives. In spring a queen often starts a small nest in a sheltered spot such as a shed or carport. Later the colony moves to a large nest, often high up in a tree. If you see one, keep away and report it on waarneming.nl. A hornet nest high in a treetop needs professional equipment; it is not a job for a garden ladder.
Keeping wasps away from your home
Check the shed, the loft and the space under the eaves in early spring: a starter nest the size of a golf ball is still easy to spot then. Over the winter, fit open vertical joints with a weep vent grille, so the cavity can still breathe but wasps can no longer get in.
In late summer, wasps are all about sugar. Clear windfall fruit from under apple or plum trees, keep the lid of the green bin firmly shut and do not leave lemonade or beer unattended on the patio. If you also notice burrows or gnaw marks near the compost heap, read more about rat control.
