Wasp nest removal in Utrecht: find it first, then treat it
You rarely see the nest itself, but you will notice the traffic. If wasps fly in a straight line to the same small opening on a warm day, the colony is just behind it. In the evening you may hear faint crackling in a ceiling or wall: workers chewing wood into paper for the nest. What a single queen starts in spring can hold thousands of wasps by late summer.
Places where we regularly find nests in Utrecht:
- in the cavity wall, behind an open weep hole
- under roof tiles and between the battens
- inside roller-shutter boxes and behind air vents
- in sheds, summer houses and bird boxes
- underground, for instance in an old mouse burrow beneath the paving
Why a wasp nest is best left to a professional
A wasp can sting more than once, and near the nest the whole colony defends itself at the same time. Brooms, garden hoses or boiling water only make matters worse, and for anyone allergic to stings the consequences can be serious. A shop-bought spray will not reach a nest deep inside a cavity wall either.
Do not block the entrance hole: trapped wasps look for another way out and sometimes find one through a gap in the ceiling. We apply the product through the opening right into the nest in the evening, when the workers are home. The dead nest can usually stay where it is, as wasps do not reuse an old one. You can read how we tackle other pests on our page about pest control in Utrecht.
Bee nest removal in Utrecht
Not everything that buzzes is a wasp. Honey bees are browner and hairier, and in spring a swarm may suddenly hang like a bunch of grapes from a branch or gutter. Such a swarm is usually remarkably calm. We do not exterminate honey bees: a beekeeper (imker) can collect the swarm or bee nest and give the colony a new home.
Bumblebees like to nest in a bird box, under a shed floor or in roof insulation. Their nests are small and die out naturally after summer, so we leave them alone wherever possible. Mason bees in the joints of an old wall are harmless. Not sure what you have? During the inspection we identify the species and tell you who is best placed to help.
Hornet nest removal in Utrecht
The Asian hornet is mostly dark, with a single orange-yellow band on its abdomen and yellow tips to its legs. It is slightly smaller than our native hornet. In spring the queen builds a small nest in a sheltered, low spot such as under the eaves or in a shed. In summer the colony often moves to a large nest high in a tree, which only becomes visible when the leaves fall in autumn. It preys on honey bees, among others.
Report a sighting with a photo on waarneming.nl and keep your distance. A hornet nest high up should be handled by a professional with the right equipment. The European hornet, reddish-brown and yellow, is larger but calmer; we prefer to leave its nest in a hollow tree or nest box alone unless it hangs right by a door or play area.
Preventing wasp problems in the garden, shed and on the balcony
For most of the summer, wasps are busy building and catching insects for their larvae. Towards the end of summer their behaviour changes: they go after sugar and gather around lemonade, fruit and open bins. Prevention therefore starts early in the year.
- Check sheds, bird boxes and eaves in April and May: a nest in its early stage is no bigger than a table-tennis ball.
- Fit open weep holes with a vent cover instead of filling them, so the cavity can still breathe.
- Clear up fallen fruit and keep the green waste bin closed.
Fallen fruit and an open compost heap also attract rodents. If you spot droppings or burrows, read more about rat control.
