Wasps are subject to general protection under nature conservation law. If there is a valid reason why a nest cannot be left in the location chosen by the animals, professional pest controllers will usually take care of the removal.

Employees of reputable companies can identify the type of wasp and assess the danger posed by the nest. This also prevents rare and specially protected insects from being endangered due to ignorance.

Hornets and wild bees are subject to special protection regulations under nature conservation law. All interventions on the animals or their nests must be approved by the Lower Nature Conservation Authority.

Permission is only ever granted to the extent absolutely necessary.

The first step is to check whether there are objective reasons why the nest cannot be preserved unaffected. Sometimes it is sufficient to secure a nest or move its location by a few meters.

If this is not possible, the mildest means should always be chosen. If possible, the nest should be relocated instead of killing the animals.

Relocation measures may only be carried out by specially trained persons. The nature conservation authority will name suitable persons or companies during the approval process.

If, upon application, the killing of a nest of a specially protected species is approved, this may also be carried out by a pest controller.

If Asian hornets have settled on your property or if you have noticed such a nest elsewhere, please report the discovery to the local nature conservation authority. You can also enter the report directly in the reporting portal of the state of Hesse (see link below).

If you have spotted a swarm of honey bees or if honey bees have moved into a cavity on your property, local beekeeping associations can usually help.

Wasp nests can be destroyed safely and quickly by reputably trained pest controllers. Both the German Pest Control Association (Deutscher Schädlingsbekämpfer Verband e.V.) and the Association for the Promotion of Ecological Pest Control (Verein zur Förderung ökologischer Schädlingsbekämpfung e.V.) offer a member search by zip code on their information portals.

The public order office of the state capital Wiesbaden also provides information about the state-certified pest control companies located in the Wiesbaden area.

Depending on the journey and particular difficulties, this costs around 100 and 150 euros. In rare cases, relocation of a wasp nest is also an option. It is always advisable to enquire by telephone and compare prices in advance.

The Environmental Agency advises on all issues relating to hornet and wild bee protection and carries out the administrative procedure for the relocation or removal of specially protected species. Questions about free-hanging wasp nests are also answered. The advice is free of charge.