2024 could be another wasp year. How we can protect ourselves and what to do if animals have nested in the house.
With spring the wasps also return. In April the queens begin looking for a suitable place to build their nest. Given an unusually mild winter, 2024 is likely to be a special year for wasps. “A dry winter and beginning of the year as well as mild temperatures create ideal conditions for the wasp queens,” explains pest expert Sophie Scharrer from the Schädlinghero platform in an interview with spot on news.
Increasingly mild winters could lead to the wasp population continuing to rise in the coming years. Sophie Scharrer explains in an interview what to do if you find a wasp nest on the balcony, in the garden or other living spaces.
Aside from physical dangers to humans, can wasps or their nests cause damage in the home?
Sophie Scharrer: Depending on where the wasps nest, damage to the building structure can occur. For example, insulation can become damaged, which can severely affect the insulating ability of the house. Wooden components and cladding can also be damaged as wasps use wood to build their nest. Here, however, the damage is usually of a visual nature and does not affect the building structure or load-bearing capacity.
How do you even recognize a wasp nest?
Scharrer: Many wasp nests hang freely outdoors or indoors. You can usually spot a nest there relatively quickly. It looks like beige or grayish papier-mâché made up of several layers and is rounded in shape, tapering at the bottom. The honeycombs cannot be seen from the outside. In an active wasp nest, it can be observed that the wasps use the lower “tip” as an entrance and exit.
If there is a wasp nest between walls, beams or other components, the shape can vary. If there are holes or crevices from which wasps regularly fly in and out, this provides another clue. In this case, there is most likely a wasp nest behind it.
Where are wasp nests particularly common?
Scharrer: Wasps generally prefer an undisturbed environment. Their nests are often located in places that are rarely visited, such as attics, tool sheds, carports, barns or garden sheds. Wasps also like to settle on roof gables and under tiles. Inside, wasps often nest in roller shutter boxes, window frames or behind walls or paneling. It also happens that wasps build their nests in the ground.
Is there any way to prevent wasps from nesting in living spaces?
Scharrer: It actually can’t be prevented completely. However, if there are places that are suitable for wasps to build nests, it may make sense to check them regularly in the spring. If you find a small wasp nest that is still under construction, you can prepare for it or – if necessary – have the nest removed by a professional and thus prevent it from becoming a full-grown wasp colony.
The scent of essential oils – especially lavender, lemon or clove oil – is said to help keep wasps away. Apparently wasps don’t like these smells and therefore stay away. Treating potential nesting sites with these oils can therefore be an option, provided the surfaces survive this undamaged. However, I can’t confirm whether this really works.
What should be the first step if you notice a wasp nest in or on the house?
Scharrer: The most important thing is to stay calm and stay away from the wasps and their nest as much as possible. If the wasp nest is in a place where it cannot stay, a professional should be called to help. He will then take care of the removal as soon as possible.
A note for tenants: The homeowner or landlord is usually responsible for removing the wasp nest. Tenants should therefore immediately inform their landlord about the wasp’s nest and coordinate further action with them.
In which cases do you need to call professional help?
Scharrer: Whenever you can’t get along with the wasp colony or if they are in a place that you regularly come too close to and disturb the wasps – for example in the roller shutter box or in the window frame. Wasps sometimes also nest in false ceilings or similar places. In these cases it may also be advisable to remove the nest as damage can occur. If the nest is in a place where it does not cause damage, disturb or expose residents to danger, it does not necessarily have to be removed.
Important: You should never try to remove a wasp nest yourself without professional help. On the one hand it is dangerous and on the other hand it is punishable because wasps are protected due to their important function in our ecosystem.
How do pest controllers go about removing wasp nests?
Scharrer: There are basically two options for removing a wasp nest: relocation or control. In the end, the customer decides which method is chosen.
During a relocation, flying workers are sucked into a relocation box using a type of vacuum cleaner. The entire nest including the queen is then removed and also packed up. Once everything has been stowed away, the workers and the nest are moved to a suitable location some distance away. The nest is re-hung there and the workers are also released again.
When fighting, the wasp colony is killed. How exactly you proceed depends on where the wasp nest is and how accessible it is. Many pest controllers work with insecticides that are carried into the nest and distributed by the wasps themselves. The entire population dies as a result. However, some pest controllers also work with ecological means.
Is relocating the wasp nest always an option?
Scharrer: In most cases. However, not all service providers offer it. Relocation is also usually more expensive because it involves more time and effort, which is why many affected people decide against it.
Relocation is usually not possible if the nest is in an inaccessible place, such as behind a facade or wall. In order to relocate, the wasp nest must be packed up, including the queen and workers.
How can you protect yourself from wasps outdoors without killing them?
Scharrer: First of all, it is important to stay calm and not react hectically when a wasp is nearby. Wasps are often irritated by rapid movements, then feel threatened and can become aggressive. You should also stay away from wasp nests. The animals protect their nest and their queen. So if you get too close, the wasps go on the offensive.
When grilling or picnicking outdoors, a few precautions can be taken, such as keeping food and drinks locked up. Wasps are constantly looking for food – both meat and sweet pieces are interesting to them, depending on the stage. Once a wasp has found a food source, it communicates this to its colony, which attracts even more wasps.
The so-called “distraction feeding” is also common. To do this, a little fruit or meat is placed at a distance, which should attract the wasps there and keep them away from the table. This method can work, but it may also cause even more wasps to become aware of the food source and sooner or later become interested in their own food.
Increased caution is required in late summer or autumn as the workers are at the end of their lifespan and often become increasingly aggressive. Here it is also advisable to keep your distance as much as possible.