How to deal with a wasp nest

New Zealand has a genuine wasp problem

New Zealand has some of the highest wasp densities in the world, and German and common wasps are both well established. A nest that's manageable in November is very large and considerably more aggressive by March.

When DIY is reasonable

• The nest is small and early in the season
• It's fully visible and accessible from the ground
• Nobody in the household has a sting allergy
• You have a clear, unobstructed path to walk away

When it genuinely isn't

The one that catches people out is a nest inside a wall or roof cavity, where all you can see is wasps going in and out of a small gap. The nest itself can be very large, and disturbing it without being able to see it is how people get badly stung.

• Any nest inside a wall, roof cavity or subfloor
• Anything requiring a ladder
• Late-season nests, which are large and aggressive
• Anyone in the household with a sting allergy
• Nests near a doorway, path or children's play area

Never block the entrance

It's the most common mistake with cavity nests and it makes things much worse. Wasps that can't get out the way they came in will chew through plasterboard into the room instead. The nest has to be killed, not sealed.

Wasps or bees?

Worth checking before you do anything. Wasps are smooth and bright yellow-and-black with a narrow waist; bees are rounder and hairy. Bees are protected and beneficial - if you have a swarm, a beekeeper will usually collect it free, and we'd point you there rather than treat it.