Wasp nest removal in The Hague: first, find out what it is
Not every buzzing insect is a wasp, and not every wasp means there is a nest at your home. So before any wasp nest removal, we establish exactly where the colony is. The clearest sign is traffic: all day long, wasps fly in a straight line to one opening and back again. On a terraced house in The Hague that is often an open weep hole in the brickwork, a gap under the bottom row of roof tiles or a hole behind the fascia board.
- Slim, yellow-and-black wasps around one fixed spot.
- A grey, papery nest in the shed, the loft or a roller-shutter box.
- Wasps disappearing into a small hole in the sandy soil of the garden.
Why you should not block or spray the nest yourself
Grabbing a tube of sealant or a can of spray is tempting, but it usually makes things worse. A colony that has been shut in looks for another way out, and that can be on the inside of your home: through a light fitting, a socket or a crack in the loft room. Spray rarely reaches the nest itself and simply makes the wasps you do hit more aggressive.
The real danger is being stung, especially for children and for anyone allergic to wasp venom. Keep the windows on that side closed, stay a few metres out of the flight path and leave the entrance alone until we arrive.
How our wasp treatment works
We prefer to treat nests towards the end of the day, when the workers are back inside and the product reaches almost the whole colony. Wearing protective clothing, our technician applies a professional insecticide through the entrance hole, even when the nest sits deep inside a cavity wall or under the tiles. If the nest hangs freely in a shed or loft, we take it down after treatment.
For a day or so afterwards you may still see wasps around the hole. These are foragers that were out at the time: they come back, pick up the product and die as well. So do not seal the opening straight away.
Bee nest removal in The Hague
Bees are not pests, so for us bee nest removal never means killing them. A cluster of honey bees hanging from a branch, a bike rack or a wall in spring is a swarm looking for a new home; ideally a local beekeeper (imker) collects it. If a colony has settled in a chimney or cavity wall, we will discuss relocation with you.
Bumblebees like to nest in an old mouse hole, under a shed floor or in insulation. Their nests last for a single season, so wherever possible leave them in peace. Small holes in sandy garden soil near the dunes in spring are often solitary bees; they are peaceful and rarely sting.
Hornet nest removal in The Hague
The European hornet is much larger than a wasp, reddish-brown and yellow, and nests in hollow trees, nest boxes and sheds. It also flies after dark and is drawn to outdoor lights. A nest that is out of the way can often stay; next to a front door or play area, we remove it.
The Asian hornet is an invasive species with a dark body, a single orange-yellow band on the abdomen and yellow tips to its legs. The colony often starts low down in spring, under the eaves or in a shed, then usually moves to a large nest high in a tree in summer. A hornet nest at that height is a job for a professional with the right equipment. If you spot one, report it on waarneming.nl and call us to have it removed.
Preventing a nest next year
An old nest is never reused, but in March and April a young queen goes looking for a dry, sheltered cavity, sometimes in exactly the same spot. Sealing weak points at that time of year makes a summer nest less likely: fit vent covers in open weep holes, make sure roller-shutter boxes close properly and fit bird comb under the bottom row of roof tiles. An empty nest in the shed in late autumn can safely come down; the colony will have died off.
On patios and balconies, cover sweet drinks and clear away fruit scraps. A tidy shed is also less attractive to rodents; read how our rat control works. For other pests in and around your home, see our pest control in The Hague.
