Overview

• The Federal Nature Conservation Act (§39 BNatSchG) makes it illegal to deliberately disturb, catch, injure or kill wild wasps in Germany.
• State-level penalties range from up to €5,000 in Bavaria, Berlin and Bremen to €50,000 in North Rhine-Westphalia and Thuringia and up to €65,000 in Brandenburg for specially protected species.
• Only the German wasp (Deutsche Wespe) and the common wasp (Gemeine Wespe) typically interact with human food, and most nests are abandoned by mid-August and not reused.
• Experts advise against swatting or blowing on wasps to avoid triggering alarm pheromones and recommend covering food, keeping calm and using fine water spray or distant baiting as nonlethal deterrents.
• Routine nest relocation is handled by conservation authorities or licensed professionals at consumer cost, with fire brigades intervening only when there is an explicit threat to life or public safety.