Destroy wasps – Can you kill and smoke out wasp nests?

In the local latitudes, there are mainly two different types of wasps that can be really annoying for the residents of a house. These are the German wasp and the common wasp. Both prefer dark when building their nests and are therefore often found in the ground in abandoned mole burrows or mouse nests. Other cavities that are dark are also preferred, such as roller blind boxesor even a dark corner in the attic. If there is a hanging nest on the house that is not hidden in the dark, then it is a question of another wasp colony, which usually has no interest in the food on the table and therefore does not bother the wasps flying around when they are not have built on a window or the balcony lintel. All wasp nests can remain in these cases:

• Wasp’s nest in the attic in a dark corner when the attic is not or hardly used
• the opening of such a nest usually faces outwards, so that there are no wasps in the attic itself
• simply avoid the corner with the nest at a distance of six meters and remove the nest in autumn or winter
• in a roller blind box
• here, too, the opening of the nest points outwards
• To prevent individual wasps from straying into the apartment, attach a mosquito repellent to the window
• the window can still be opened
• Soil nests built in a secluded corner of the garden
• Mark out all around so that you don’t accidentally step in and also keep a certain distance from the spot

Smoke out wasp nests?

The garden owner should never try to remove or smoke out a wasp nest without experience. Chemical agents that are commercially available should also be handled with care. Because when trying to smoke out wasp nests, the intelligent animals quickly become very aggressive and then only one wasp stings, but many more. And fumigation of a wasp’s nest is also not suitable for nature conservation. Because in such a case, the entire wasp colony including the queen will be destroyed. Since wasps are actually useful animals and only live for one summer, they should not be killed. They disappear of their own accord in autumn. If the queen is also killed, who actually survives the winter, then there will be one fewer wasp colony next year.

Because it prohibits destroying or impairing the habitats of wild animals without a reasonable reason for doing so. Anyone who does not comply with this law and who may be observed and reported during the destruction must expect a hefty fine. But even if the competent authority has given permission for a wasp nest to be completely destroyed and the wasps to be destroyed, professional help should be sought for this. The homeowner should never try to remove the annoying wasp nest himself, smoke it out or use commercially available chemical agents to counteract it. Because that makes the wasps very aggressive, they try to defend their nest at that moment. And then not only a wasp stings.

• The fire brigade helps in emergencies, for example with a wasp nest at a kindergarten or when the residents can no longer get in or out of their house because of the nest
• the use of the living environment by the wasp’s nest is no longer given
• Pest controllers who remove and discard the nest altogether
• these also usually have an emergency service available
• these professional firms can be expensive
• Environmental protection organizations or beekeepers are significantly cheaper here
• these gently release the wasp colony and their nest back into the open air
• to do this, all wasps are caught and removed together with their nest

Destroy and kill wasps?

Unfortunately, killing individual wasps, for example in a trap with attractants, does not help the quiet afternoon on the terrace. Because the traps from the specialist trade or self-made traps made of glasses and PET bottles, in which sugar water, lemonade or beer was put, usually bring nothing. Usually only the weak and old animals go into the trap, while the young, active wasps usually ignore such traps.

In addition, these traps also mean an agonizing death for the insects. The “fly pads” with electric shock, which could also be used against wasps at the table, are also often offered in the trade. However, if children live in the household, then these “slips” can be dangerous for the children. Because children are naturally curious and an electric shock is not to be trifled with. Also, such fly swatters, whether in the traditional way or the new electric ones, make the other wasps still at the table aggressive. The enjoyment of eating and drinking also sometimes falls by the wayside. Trying to kill individual wasps is therefore usually very ineffective and usually does nothing at all. Are the wasps really that annoying and have all alternatives already been tested?

Live with the wasps

If the wasps have built their nest in a distant place in the garden and the terrace is not directly in their entry path, then this wasp nest can remain in place over the summer and is only removed in autumn or winter, so that there are no new ones next year animals can move in.

Otherwise, there are a few tricks and tips on how the garden can become a pleasant place to stay despite wasps:

• Repel wasps by training
• lay out treats for the wasps in a place far away from the patio table
• for example divided grapes
• do this at every meal
• Wasps get to know the place and after a few days only fly there
• Terrace and dining table are thus ignored
• if a wasp gets lost on the table, never blow on it
• Human breath also makes wasps aggressive
• Wasps love sweet sodas and beer
• therefore always protect the glasses, for example put a beer mat on top
• It is best to drink lemonades and other non-alcoholic beverages through a straw
• this eliminates the risk of getting a wasp in your mouth
• also cover the food on the table
• this will not drive the wasps off the table
• However, food remains safe from a wasp feeding attack
• never get too close to a wasp nest
• a minimum distance of six meters is recommended here
• if a wasp attacks despite everything, don’t fight back with waving arms but stay calm
• never poking around in a wasp nest, for example with a small stick, you may end up in the hospital.
• Be sure to educate children living in the household or visiting children about the dangers that a wasp nest can pose
• Beware of scaremongering, better live and let live

Other alternatives

The house and garden should be inspected in winter, before the queen wasp starts looking for a suitable nesting site with the first rays of sunshine in spring. Here you should pay particular attention to holes in the masonry or a roller blind box, possible loopholes in the roof or old mouse nests and mole holes in the ground. Because all of these holes can be used by a wasp queen to build a nest in spring. Therefore, if no wasp nests are to be built near the house, precautionary measures must be taken:

• seal all holes in the masonry well from the outside
• also make sure that there are no more loopholes in the roller blind boxes
• examine the roof and also close the smallest holes here
• fill up old mole holes and mouse nests in the garden
• may offer the wasps alternatives in distant corners of the garden
• hang up a so-called insect hotel in a tree
• use a wooden box that only has a small entry hole
• otherwise it can happen that sparrows or tits nest in it
• That’s nice, but not the point in this case
• only choose a corner that is really not used

Conclusion
If there is a wasp nest in a place in the garden or on the house that is far away from the terrace, balcony or front door, then it should be left in place and removed in autumn or winter after the wasp colony has left. In all other cases in which the wasp nest must give way in any case, never take action yourself, but always consult a beekeeper or pest controller who will professionally relocate or remove the nest.