Wasp and hornet nests in France: what to do if you find one

Even those of us without a phobia can feel trepidation when discovering a wasp nest on our property. They can be at their most aggressive in late summer and early autumn, so what should you do if you discover one?

The first step is to identify whether they are wasps (guêpes) or hornets (frelons), and, if hornets, whether they are the native European hornet or the invasive Asian hornet.

Common wasps and European hornets are generally only considered a nuisance if they are near living areas and affecting residents.

If you identify Asian hornets (frelons asiatiques), which can become highly defensive if disturbed, you should stay at least five metres from them and contact your mairie to check local policy on how to remove them.

You should also register the nest on lefrelon.com, which tracks Asian hornets in France.

Note that many mairies have started their own initiatives to combat Asian hornets, including offering residents free or subsidised traps, as well as tips and advice on how to capture the insects.

Do you need to act?

If a wasp nest is far enough from the house that your daily life is largely unaffected, then the best policy is to leave it well alone. If, however, the insects are affecting you and you feel that they need to be removed, you can contact a private pest removal company (search désinfection-désinsectisation) for a quote.

Look for those who have a Certibiocide certificate authorising them to use regulated insecticides.

Until a few years ago, local firefighters were the default contact for removing nests, but this is no longer the case.

While many still offer this service, it will typically cost between €100 and €250, depending on the location and difficulty of access – roughly the same as you would pay a private company – although they will still intervene in an emergency.

Special aerosol bombes (powerful insecticide sprays that project a freezing jet up to eight metres) can be found in DIY stores for around €15.

Used at night on small hornet nests, they require protective clothing. Professionals recommend that larger nests be treated by experts.

Should you find a wasp nest in a public place, such as a school or park, then it is the local authority’s responsibility to destroy the nest as a matter of public safety.

Timing and location

Wasps build colonies inside nests made from wood pulp, commonly found in roof spaces, air bricks, wall cavities, garden sheds, tree holes and soil banks.

While wasps become more noticeable in late summer, the nest is started by a queen in April or May and is initially only the size of a golf ball, so it might take until July for you to notice wasps on your property.

The nest reaches its peak in August or September, when there are usually 2,000-5,000 wasps in one colony, although it can reach up to 20,000.

As autumn progresses, temperatures drop and food supplies decrease. After a few heavy frosts, the colony will die off completely.

By December, the nest is empty and it will not be used again, so, if preferred, you can wait until winter and get rid of the nest yourself, taking precautions to do so safely.

Useful vocabulary

When talking to authorities or professionals about the nest, you might hear the term hyménoptère, which refers to insects of the order Hymenoptera (bees, wasps, hornets and ants).