The essentials
Keep your distance (at least 5 m), don't touch the nest and don't try to destroy it. Tell your town hall, which knows the local scheme and sometimes covers part of the cost, report the nest on the French Natural History Museum's platform and leave the removal to an equipped professional.
Present in France since 2004, the yellow-legged Asian hornet builds nests in sometimes unexpected places: a hedge, a porch roof, a garden shed, a balcony or a treetop. For a household or a business with a terrace, the first steps are the same.
First steps
ANSES recommendations come down to a few points:
- Stay at least 5 m away and keep children and pets back.
- Don't throw anything at the nest, hose it or pierce it.
- Avoid syrup traps: they are not selective and mostly catch other insects.
- Check hedges and shrubs before trimming them.
Who to contact
Your town hall knows which body coordinates control in the département; some towns pay part of the removal cost. Reporting online to the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle feeds the national monitoring of the species.
Removal is a job for a professional with full protective gear, telescopic poles and authorised products. A French law passed in March 2025 also strengthened the framework for curbing the spread of the Asian hornet.
When to act
In spring, the primary nest is small and easy to reach: the simplest time. In summer and early autumn, the secondary nest can hold a large colony; if it is near a walkway, act promptly, before the future queens leave.
In winter, an abandoned nest serves no purpose: the colony has died and the nest is not reused.
Remember
- At least 5 m away, no attempt to destroy it.
- No non-selective syrup traps.
- Town hall, Museum report, equipped professional.
- A nest dealt with early means a simpler job.
General information, valid at the date of publication; it is no substitute for advice from a lawyer or a health professional.