Wasp nest removal in Amersfoort: where is the nest?
You rarely see the nest itself straight away. What gives it away is a fixed flight path: wasps landing on the same spot again and again and slipping into a gap. Indoors you may hear faint scratching behind a wall or ceiling as the colony enlarges its home. The nest is grey and papery, starting as a small ball in spring and growing into a sizeable mass by late summer. Typical spots are:
- a cavity wall, reached through a weep hole or an air brick
- under roof tiles, fascia boards or the ridge
- sheds, summer houses and bird boxes
- the ground, often in an old mouse hole
Why tackling it yourself often goes wrong
It is tempting to grab a spray can or seal the hole with filler, and that is exactly where things tend to go wrong. A colony that is shut in looks for another way out and sometimes finds one indoors, past a light fitting, a plug socket or a gap by the window sill. Spraying into the entrance only hits the wasps at the door; the rest are disturbed and go on the attack.
With young children at home, or anyone with an allergy, calling in a professional is the sensible choice. For other unwanted guests around the house, see our pest control in Amersfoort.
Our wasp treatment: evenings, straight into the nest
We prefer to treat in the late afternoon or evening. By then almost all the workers are home and it is calm outside. Using a lance, we apply the product directly into the entrance, so it ends up in the nest rather than in your garden or living room. Because it works through the opening, there is usually no need to open up a wall or roof.
Wasps that were still out return and come into contact with it too. By the following day it has normally gone quiet. An empty nest is never moved back into; if it is within reach, you can take it down once the season is over.
Bee nest removal in Amersfoort
Bees are not wasps, and honey bees are not exterminated. A cluster of bees hanging from a branch or a wall in spring is a swarm looking for a new home. A beekeeper (imker) can collect it and settle it in a hive. Has a colony already moved into a cavity wall, chimney or hollow tree? Then we assess whether that bee nest can be relocated and point you to a beekeeper; killing honey bees is simply not on the table.
Bumblebees we leave alone wherever possible: their nests are small, they rarely sting and the colony dies off by itself after the summer. Solitary bees nesting in old mortar joints are harmless as well.
Hornet nest removal in Amersfoort
Two kinds of hornet turn up in Amersfoort. The European hornet is large, brown and yellow, and favours hollow trees, nest boxes and quiet sheds. It also flies after dark and is drawn to lit windows. The Asian hornet is a little smaller and much darker: almost black, with an orange face, one broad yellow-orange band towards the end of the body and legs with yellow tips. Its large, round nest usually hangs high in a tree and is often noticed only when the leaves fall. In spring the queen sometimes starts lower down, under a canopy or in a shed.
If you see an Asian hornet or its nest, report it on waarneming.nl. Keep your distance, as hornets defend their nest fiercely. We take down a hornet nest at height wearing protective gear and using equipment that lets us reach it safely.
Fewer nests next year
A new colony starts in spring with a single queen. If you check the eaves, the shed and the summer house now and then in April and May, you will often catch a starter nest early. Once the season is over, fit vent covers in open brick joints and have gaps under the roof tiles closed, so fewer sheltered spots are left.
In the garden, windfall fruit and open soft drinks attract extra wasps in late summer. Holes along the fence or under the patio are sometimes old rodent runs; if they worry you, read more about rat control.
