Wasp & Hornet Nest Removal
Same-day removal of wasp and hornet nests, including bald-faced hornet and yellowjacket nests in walls and the ground.
A wasp or hornet nest near where your family goes is an urgent problem, and the riskiest nests — yellowjackets in the ground or a wall, big bald-faced hornet nests — are the ones you shouldn't touch yourself. We remove them fast and safely, including the hidden wall-void and ground nests.
We come with proper protective equipment and treat the nest so the colony is eliminated, not just the wasps at the entrance. Stinging-insect calls get priority scheduling, especially when there's an allergy risk in the household.
Fast, safe nest removal — including the hidden ones
When there's a wasp or hornet nest by a door, deck, or playset, the priority is fast, safe removal — and the nests that most need a professional are exactly the ones people are tempted to tackle themselves: yellowjacket nests in the ground or a wall void, and big, defended bald-faced hornet nests. A disturbed colony can deliver dozens of stings in seconds, a serious danger for anyone with an allergy.
We remove wasp and hornet nests using proper protective equipment and timing, treating wall-void and ground nests so the whole colony is eliminated rather than just the visible entrance. This dedicated service exists because urgent stinging-insect calls need priority scheduling and the right gear — it's not a job for a ladder and a can of spray when the nest is large, hidden, or near people.
When to call for nest removal
- A visible paper nest under an eave, on a branch, or in a shed or attic.
- Steady wasp or hornet traffic in and out of a soffit, wall gap, or ground hole.
- Yellowjackets around a specific spot in the yard, turning aggressive.
- Buzzing or vibration inside a wall, suggesting a hidden void nest.
- Any nest near a doorway, deck, playset, or a household member with a sting allergy.
How we treat it
- 1
Identification
We identify the species and locate the nest, including hidden wall-void and ground nests.
- 2
Protective removal
We treat and remove the nest with proper protective equipment, timed to when the colony is least active.
- 3
Void treatment
For wall and ground nests, we treat the void so the whole colony is eliminated, not just the visible entrance.
- 4
Nest disposal
Where safe and accessible, we remove the physical nest so it isn't reused or scavenged.
- 5
Prevention advice
We point out the eaves and gaps to seal so nesting doesn't recur next season.
What to expect
- Many nests are handled in a single visit; large or hidden ones may need a short follow-up.
- We time treatment to reduce activity and keep people and pets clear during and just after.
- Ground and wall-void nests are the riskiest and the ones you shouldn't try yourself.
- Households with a sting allergy get priority scheduling.
Seasonality in Central NY
- Spring: queens start small, easy-to-remove nests — an ideal but often unnoticed window.
- Summer: colonies grow and nests become visible.
- Late summer to early fall: peak size and peak aggression, especially for yellowjackets — the busiest season for removal.
What it costs
Nest removal is priced by species, nest location, and risk — an accessible paper-wasp nest is straightforward, while a yellowjacket nest deep in a wall void takes more work and care.
We give clear pricing before we start, and we'd always rather you call than risk a reaction removing an aggressive nest yourself.
How to prevent it
- Seal soffit, eave, and siding gaps in spring before queens nest.
- Check sheds, playsets, and grills for early nests through summer.
- Keep outdoor trash covered and clean up food and sweet drinks.
- Don't seal an active wall-void entrance yourself — trapped wasps often chew into living space.
Reading the nest before you go near it
The nest itself tells you what you're dealing with and how much caution it demands. Open, umbrella-shaped combs with visible cells under an eave or railing are paper wasps — usually a smaller, more manageable colony. Large, enclosed, gray, papery football-shaped nests in a tree or under an overhang are bald-faced hornets, which are highly defensive. And a steady stream of insects coming and going from a hole in the ground, a wall void, or a gap behind siding — with no visible nest — is the classic signature of yellowjackets, the ones people most often provoke by accident.
Size and location set the risk level. A nest you can see clearly, out in the open and reached from the ground early in the season, is very different from one tucked in a wall, high on the house, or hidden underground at peak season. When a nest is hidden or large, or when you're seeing heavy traffic at a single opening, treat it as a serious situation and keep your distance — that's exactly the kind of nest that turns a casual attempt into an emergency.
Why late-summer nests are an urgent call
Stinging-insect colonies in Central New York grow all season and reach their maximum size and aggression in August and September, which is when the urgent nest-removal calls spike. A nest that looked minor in June can hold hundreds to thousands of insects by Labor Day, and the colony defends it far more readily as numbers peak. A nest beside a frequently used door, over a deck, or near where kids and pets play becomes a genuine hazard that can't wait for a convenient appointment.
That urgency is why nest removal is often a same-day priority rather than a routine visit. The goal is to neutralize the immediate danger quickly and safely, especially when anyone in the household has a sting allergy. Being local and family-run means you reach a real person who can prioritize a dangerous nest, rather than a national call center scheduling you out a week — which, for a hornet nest by the front step, matters a great deal.
Stings, allergies, and multiple-sting danger
Unlike honeybees, yellowjackets and hornets can sting repeatedly, and a disturbed late-season colony can deliver many stings in seconds. For anyone with a venom allergy, that can mean a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction — the single biggest reason not to gamble on a large or hidden nest. Even without an allergy, a volume of simultaneous stings is painful and, in quantity, medically serious, and pets that investigate a nest are at real risk too.
The dangerous scenarios are predictable: a ground nest hit by a lawnmower, a wall-void yellowjacket colony beside a busy door, a hornet nest knocked from a tree, or a nest disturbed while trimming or cleaning gutters. There's also a structural wrinkle with wall-void nests — treated improperly, the colony can chew through interior drywall seeking a new exit and end up inside the living space. All of it argues for careful, correct handling over improvisation.
Why nest removal is the pro's job, not the ladder's
Stinging-insect nests are the one pest situation where the DIY risk is immediate and physical. Spraying a large yellowjacket or hornet nest — particularly one that's high, hidden in a wall, or underground — provokes a defensive swarm, and a can of store spray rarely reaches the whole colony before the colony reaches you. Add a ladder and the risk multiplies. For a big or awkwardly placed nest, the safe and effective move is to call rather than climb.
We remove nests with the proper protective equipment, reach, and materials to treat the colony thoroughly — including the ground and wall-void nests that are hardest and most dangerous to handle — and we do it with the method each situation calls for, so a wall-void colony isn't driven into your living space. Reaching the nest itself, not just the insects flying around it, is what actually resolves the problem, and doing that safely at the peak of the season is precisely what a professional is for.
Frequently asked questions
Can you remove a nest in the wall or ground?
Yes — and those are exactly the ones you shouldn't attempt yourself. We treat the void or ground nest so the whole colony is eliminated, with protective equipment and safe timing.
How fast can you come out?
We prioritize stinging-insect calls, especially near doorways or where someone has a sting allergy. Call and we'll get you scheduled quickly.
Is it safe to spray a nest myself?
For a small, exposed paper-wasp nest, sometimes — but ground and wall nests can produce dozens of stings when disturbed, and store spray often just angers a large colony. If there's allergy risk or the nest is hidden, call a professional.
Do you remove the nest or just kill it?
Where it's safe and accessible, we remove the physical nest after treatment so it isn't reused or scavenged. Some wall-void nests are treated in place because opening the wall isn't warranted.
What about honeybees?
We don't exterminate honeybees — they're beneficial. If you have a honeybee swarm, we'll point you to a beekeeper for relocation. We handle wasps, hornets, and yellowjackets.
Will they come back to the same spot?
A removed nest isn't reused, but a good nesting location can attract new queens next spring. We point out the gaps to seal so it doesn't become a recurring spot.
Can I knock the nest down myself?
A small, exposed paper-wasp nest early in the season is sometimes manageable, but large yellowjacket or hornet nests — and any nest hidden in a wall, high up, or in the ground — are genuinely dangerous to disturb. These insects sting repeatedly and swarm defensively, and store spray rarely reaches the whole colony first. If it's big, hidden, or anyone nearby has an allergy, call us instead of climbing.
Can you come the same day?
We prioritize urgent nests near doors, decks, and play areas, because that's where the sting risk is highest — and at peak season a large nest is a real hazard. Being local and family-run means you reach a real person who can move quickly, not a national dispatch line. Call and we'll get to you as fast as we can.
There are insects going in and out of my wall — is that a nest?
Usually a yellowjacket colony nesting in the wall void behind a small exterior gap. These need care: treated incorrectly, the colony can chew through interior drywall looking for a new exit and end up inside your living space. It's a situation to have handled properly, not sprayed at from outside.
Why are wasps suddenly so aggressive in late summer?
Colonies reach their maximum size — often hundreds to thousands of insects — and are most defensive in August and September. A nest that seemed minor in June can be a serious hazard by Labor Day, which is why late-summer removal calls spike and why a dangerous nest shouldn't wait.
Our guarantee
Covered by our defined-term service guarantee: if covered pests return during the service period, we re-treat at no additional charge. See Our Guarantee for terms and exclusions.
Read our guarantee terms →Wasp & Hornet Nest Removal across Central New York
Based in Ithaca, NY, we provide wasp & hornet nest removal throughout the Finger Lakes and Central New York — five counties and the towns within them:
Tompkins County
Ithaca · Lansing · Dryden · Trumansburg · Newfield · Groton · Freeville · Cayuga Heights · Danby · Enfield
Schuyler County
Watkins Glen · Montour Falls · Odessa · Burdett · Tyrone · Beaver Dams
Chemung County
Elmira · Horseheads · Big Flats
Cortland County
Cortland · Homer · McGraw
Tioga County
Owego · Waverly · Candor · Spencer
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