Wasps: finding the nest and making the right call
The nest often hides in a wall, a shutter box or the ground: follow the workers to find it.
The short answer
The common wasp (Vespula vulgaris) and the German wasp (Vespula germanica) are 12–17 mm long and form new colonies each year that can number several thousand workers by late summer. They nest in cavities: roofs, hollow walls, roller-shutter boxes, old burrows. A nest near a busy spot should be destroyed by an equipped professional, especially in August and September, when the colony is at its largest.
Identity card
Scientific name: Vespula vulgaris, Vespula germanica
- Size
- 12–17 mm for a worker; about 20 mm for the queen
- Appearance
- Abdomen striped bright yellow and black, very narrow waist, black antennae, wings folded lengthwise at rest
- Life expectancy
- A few weeks for a worker; the mated queen overwinters in shelter
- Active period
- April to October; colony at its peak in August and September
- Where it hides
- Under roof tiles, roller-shutter boxes, hollow walls, lofts, sheds, burrows in the lawn
How to spot wasps
Tick off in your head what you have seen: the more the clues overlap, the surer the diagnosis.
- A regular stream of wasps going in and out of a gap in a wall, a lifted tile or a shutter box.
- A hole in the lawn or a bank with wasps coming and going: an underground nest.
- Scratching or a dull buzzing behind a ceiling or partition.
- Wasps turning up day after day in the same room, a sign the nest is very close.
Understanding how it behaves
The nest is made of chewed wood fibre, a kind of grey paper with wavy patterns. Most of the time it cannot be seen: only the steady stream of workers through the same gap gives it away.
Don't confuse them with the paper wasp (Polistes), slimmer, with long legs dangling in flight, which builds a small open comb hanging under a ledge, with no outer envelope. It is far less defensive and does not always warrant treatment.
Wasps are also useful in the garden, where they hunt a great many insects. So treatment is only needed when the nest is a real nuisance: by a front door, a terrace, a bedroom, a school playground or a restaurant terrace.
Why it shouldn't be left
- Repeated stings: unlike a bee, a wasp keeps its sting and can use it several times.
- Severe allergic reaction possible; according to ANSES, wasps were involved in 37% of the envenomations recorded by French poison centres between 2014 and 2023.
- Stings in the mouth or throat when drinking from a can or glass left outside.
- A nest high up or inside a partition: dangerous to tackle without proper equipment.
What the technician does: wasps
01
Inspect
Species identification, location of the nest and all its entrances, assessment of access and of the people exposed.
02
Treat
An authorised insecticide injected into the entrance or directly into the nest, in protective clothing, ideally when activity is at its lowest.
03
Sanitise
The nest removed when it can be reached; advice to block the opening only once activity has stopped, so as not to drive wasps indoors.
04
Follow up
Check that activity has stopped as set out in the protocol, photo report and advice on active vigilance for the following spring.
Prevention, at home and at work
Simple habits that lower the risk of the intruder settling in or coming back.
- 01At home: in spring, take a look at shutter boxes, lofts and sheds where a queen might start a nest.
- 02In late summer, cover drinks and food outdoors and drink from a glass rather than a can.
- 03Keep bins and the compost bin closed, and pick up fallen fruit.
- 04Never block the entrance of an active nest: trapped wasps would dig for another exit, sometimes into the house.
- 05In a restaurant, campsite or school: have buildings and grounds checked as soon as the first comings and goings appear.
Your questions
What should I do after a wasp sting?
Remove rings and bracelets if the sting is on the hand, wash with soap and water and apply something cold. If the face or throat swells, if you struggle to breathe or feel faint, call 15 or 112 (the French emergency numbers) without delay.
Can a nest wait until the end of the season?
Yes, if it is away from busy spots and nobody in the household is allergic: the colony dies off by itself with the first cold weather. If it is near a door, a terrace, a bedroom or an area open to the public, it is better to have it treated quickly.
Will the wasps come back to the same nest?
No, a wasp nest is used for one season only. But if the opening stays accessible, a new queen may choose the same shelter in spring.
Wasp or bee: how do I tell them apart?
A bee is stockier, hairy and brownish; a wasp is smooth, bright yellow and black, with a very pronounced waist. A bee swarm is a job for a beekeeper, not for destruction.
Wasps at home or on your premises?
2-hour slot, 7 days a week from 8 am to 8 pm, price shown and paid online, photo report emailed on the day of the visit.
Related service: Wasp and hornet nest removal
