Hornet nest: who to call and who pays?

Step back. A hornet nest is never a DIY job, and one kind of hornet should be reported straight away.

The answer in 2 lines. Don't touch the nest and keep people and pets away. Take a photo from a safe distance. If it looks like a yellow-legged hornet (also called the Asian hornet: very dark body, yellow-tipped legs), report it with the photo through the free Asian Hornet Watch app or the online form. The government's National Bee Unit finds and destroys these nests. For a native European hornet or a wasp nest, it is up to the owner or occupier to deal with it: leave it alone if it is out of the way, or use a professional pest controller. Some councils offer a paid service. Call 999 if someone has a severe reaction to a sting.

The first 3 steps

Move away calmly and keep children and pets at a distance. Don't swat at hornets.
Take a photo of a hornet, or of the nest, only if you can do it safely from a distance.
If it looks like a yellow-legged hornet, report it with the photo and location using the Asian Hornet Watch app (iPhone and Android), the online report form or by email to alertnonnative@ceh.ac.uk.

Stop: danger

Never try to destroy or move a nest yourself (stick, hose, fire, spray). Hornets defend their nest if they feel it is under threat.
Don't block the entrance of a nest in a wall, roof or air brick. The hornets can find another way out, including into your home.
Severe reaction to a sting (difficulty breathing, swollen lips, tongue or throat, feeling faint): use an adrenaline auto-injector if the person has one and call 999. Say you think it is anaphylaxis. The person should lie down and stay lying down, even if they start to feel better.
Several stings, or a sting in the mouth or throat: get medical help quickly. Call 111 for advice, or 999 if breathing is affected.

Yellow-legged hornet or European hornet?

Yellow-legged (Asian) hornet: smaller than our native hornet, with a very dark, velvety body, a single orange band near the end of the abdomen, an orange face and yellow-tipped legs. Its nests are often high up in trees, but can also be in hedges, sheds or under eaves. It is a threat to honey bees, but no more dangerous to people than native wasps and hornets.
European hornet: larger, with a mostly yellow abdomen and brown legs. It is a native species and usually nests in sheltered spots such as hollow trees, lofts or wall cavities.
To check, use the Non-Native Species Secretariat identification guide. Compare your photo with the pictures, and report it if you are not sure.

Who deals with the nest, and who pays

Yellow-legged hornet: report it, don't book a firm. The National Bee Unit, part of the Animal and Plant Health Agency, follows up reports, finds nests and destroys them. A clear photo is usually enough for specialists to confirm a sighting.
European hornet or wasp nest: it is up to the owner or occupier. If the nest is out of the way and causing no problems, you can often leave it, as it is abandoned in winter. If it is near a door, a path or a vent, use a professional pest controller. Ask whether they hold a recognised pest control qualification, and ask for a written price first.
Your council: some councils treat wasp or hornet nests for a fee, some only help council tenants, and some offer no service at all. Find yours with GOV.UK's council finder: enter your postcode, then search the council site for "pest control".
If you rent or live in a block of flats: tell your landlord, managing agent or housing association, especially if the nest is in a shared area or in the building itself.
Home insurance: check your policy documents. Some policies mention pest or nest removal, but many don't.

What not to do

Paying a firm to destroy a suspected yellow-legged hornet nest without reporting it first.
Spraying the nest, or knocking it down with a pole or ladder.
Mowing, hedge-trimming or using a strimmer right next to a nest.
Leaving children or pets to play near the nest.
Throwing away your only photo before you have sent your report.

Where they are found in England

Most yellow-legged hornet nests have been found in the south-east, especially Kent: in 2023, a record year, the National Bee Unit destroyed 72 nests in 56 locations (Defra, May 2024). Sightings are now reported more widely, so report a possible sighting wherever you live. The hornets are most active from about April to November, with a peak in late summer. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland use the same reporting routes, but their governments run their own response.

Good to know

For an ordinary sting: scrape the sting out if it is still there, wash the area, and hold a cold compress on it. A pharmacist can advise on painkillers or antihistamines. Call 111 if the redness keeps spreading or you feel unwell.
If you have had a serious reaction to a sting before, ask your GP about an allergy plan.
For wasps, see our guide on whether to leave a wasp nest or have it treated.

In September, Priya notices large dark hornets going in and out of a ball-shaped nest high in a tree at the bottom of her garden in Ashford. She keeps her children inside, takes a zoomed photo of a hornet on the fence from the patio and compares it with the identification guide. The legs are yellow. She sends the photo and location through the Asian Hornet Watch app, and a National Bee Unit inspector contacts her to arrange the follow-up.

A made-up story, for illustration.

Bobby

Sources, verification, confidence

Verified on 6 November 2026, for England. Confidence: high for the safety advice, the reporting routes and the National Bee Unit's role (GOV.UK, NNSS); high for what to do about anaphylaxis (NHS); medium for council services and prices, which vary by area; the 2023 figures are the latest annual total we could verify on GOV.UK. This guide describes common cases, not a diagnosis.