Overview
- Local pest controllers in Aichach-Friedberg, Deggendorf and the Augsburg/Allgäu area report an extreme rise in nests this year that has doubled workloads in some counties.
- German nature-protection law (Paragraph 39) bars needlessly disturbing or killing wild insects and hornets receive stronger special protection that normally requires a permit and a designated hornet officer to move a nest.
- Experts and conservationists advise non-lethal steps such as briefly spraying individual wasps with water, sealing roller-shutter boxes, and using distraction baits rather than traps or home remedies that are ineffective or illegal.
- Health and safety risks have risen for people with allergies and for drivers who swat at insects, so insured residents can seek help from ADAC-affiliated firms and 350 partner companies nationwide that handle removals.
- Scientists and local officers link the surge to a warm, dry spring after several years of high population levels, and they urge coexistence measures to protect pollinators while managing public safety.