A Nest in a Garden Shed: Identify It Correctly and Take Action

Contents

• Prices and Offers for Removing a Nest from a Garden Shed

• Steps for Purchasing and the Process for Booking a Service Call

• Where to Get Quick Help and a Call to Action: Frelons.be

• Conclusion

You open the door to the garden shed in April to get out the lawn mower, and there—a low hum coming from the ceiling. Not just three stray wasps: a real gray ball, the size of a grapefruit, clinging to the rafters. This happens dozens of times a season here in Belgium, and almost always at the same time: in the spring, when the queen is looking for a dry, dark, and quiet place to establish her colony.

Things to remember

• While the web focuses on installing birdhouses, we address the hidden danger: wasp or hornet nests in garden sheds

• We offer a safety guide and professional document destruction services

• Prices and Offers for Removing a Nest from a Garden Shed

• Compare options and take action.

The web is full of articles about birdhouses and hedgehog shelters. That’s all well and good. But no one talks about the squatter that actually moves into your garden shed: a wasp nest in a garden shed—or worse, an Asian hornet nest. For a queen, a garden shed is the ideal home: sheltered from rain, wind, and predators—and, most importantly, no one sets foot in there for six months.

So before you rush out to buy an insecticide spray from the supermarket (not a good idea—we’ll get back to that), here’s what you need to know to identify what you have in your home, how much an extermination service costs, and how to contact us. We work on these nests year-round, including in the winter when it comes to locating and neutralizing the primary nests of Asian hornets.

Prices and Offers for Removing a Nest from a Garden Shed

Nine times out of ten, the first question people ask us on the phone is, «How much will it cost me?» The honest answer: between €90 and €180 (including tax) for a standard nest box in a garden shed, whether in Wallonia or Brussels. The price range depends on just three factors.

• The species. Removing a common wasp nest is less expensive than removing an Asian hornet nest. Asian hornet removal requires full protective gear, a stricter protocol, and often takes twice as long.

• Access. Is the nest visible under the interior roof of the shed, at eye level? That’s quick. Is the nest hidden behind siding, under a slab, in a drop ceiling, or wedged between the insulation and the metal sheeting? You’ll have to take it apart, and that takes time.

• Height. For heights over 6 meters, a telescopic pole or a cherry picker is needed. That changes the price.

With us, free estimates are the norm. You describe the situation—ideally with a photo taken from a distance (never up close, never with a flash)—and we’ll give you a firm price before we even show up. No «we’ll see when we get there.» That kind of vagueness is exactly what drives up bills with some service providers.

The service package includes travel to the site, treatment, removal of the nest when possible, and inspection of the area. We also check to see if there is a secondary nest elsewhere in the yard, because an infested garden shed often hides a larger colony nearby—on a hedge or in a tree.

A quick note about the cost of wasp control during peak season. In August, requests skyrocket. Some companies double their rates at that time. Not us. The price for removing a nest stays the same in February as it does on August 15, because we’re active year-round and our schedule is set up to accommodate that.

Frequently Asked Question: Does home insurance cover this? Sometimes, yes, if your policy includes «assistance» or «pest control» coverage. It’s worth checking, especially for the Asian hornet, which is classified as an invasive alien species. Some Belgian municipalities also provide financial assistance for the removal of Asian hornet nests. We always provide you with a detailed invoice specifying the species, which is sufficient for most claims.

What about that €12 can from the hardware store? It doesn’t reach high enough, doesn’t penetrate the nest, and—most importantly—it agitates the colony. We’ve already been called out to help people who were stung fifteen times after trying a DIY solution. That €100 you thought you were saving ends up in the ER. Seriously, don’t do that.

Steps for Purchasing and the Process for Booking a Service Call

You've found the nest. What should you do, step by step? Let's keep it as simple as possible, because at times like this, no one wants to fill out a form with twelve fields.

1. Close the shelter and step back. No sudden movements, no water sprays, no sweeping motions. Wasps defend their nests within a radius of 3 to 5 meters, while Asian hornets defend theirs up to 10 meters. Keep children and pets away, and block access to the shed.

2. Make a rough identification. A gray, paper-like nest shaped like a ball or a pear, with slender wasps with distinct stripes: a wasp nest. Larger insect, black thorax, yellow legs with yellow tips, heavy flight: Asian hornet. Brown-beige nest with an entrance on the side: same as above, Asian hornet. Not sure? Send us a photo, and we’ll tell you for sure in two minutes.

3. Book online or by phone. The online reservation form takes less than two minutes to fill out: your ZIP code, the type of nest, its location in the shelter, and your availability. In the event of a hornet emergency (an active nest, someone in the house with an allergy, or children playing nearby), calling is still the fastest option. We prioritize genuine emergencies.

4. Confirmation and time slot. You’ll receive a fixed price and a time slot. During peak season, we typically respond within 24 to 48 hours. For a true emergency, we’ll respond the same day when physically possible.

5. The procedure. The steps for on-site treatment are always the same: securing the perimeter, putting on full protective gear, injecting a suitable product directly into the nest, allowing it to take effect, and then removing the nest. Allow 20 to 45 minutes, depending on the situation. For a garden shed, we also check the roof structure, the corners, and the space under the floor if the shed is raised off the ground.

6. Afterward. They’ll tell you when you can use the shed again (often a few hours, sometimes 24 hours). They’ll give you the bill and two or three tips to prevent this from happening again next year: seal any gaps, install fine mesh over the vents, and check the shed in March and April.

A small but important detail: never block the entrance to the nest before we arrive. Trapping a wasp colony in a shed is the surest way to have them come out through a crack on the inside or to find them in the attached garage. Leave everything as is—we’ll take care of the rest.

Where to Get Quick Help and a Call to Action: Frelons.be

To contact Frelons.be, all you need is a phone number and a form. It couldn’t be simpler. Behind the scenes is a team of wasp and hornet experts who serve French-speaking Belgium and work year-round—not just during the summer peak season.

Why do we emphasize this point? Because the battle against the Asian hornet takes place in the spring. Between February and May, every founding queen that is neutralized means one secondary nest of 2,000 individuals that will never exist by September. Garden sheds are, in fact, one of the favorite places for queen wasps to build their primary nests—these small nests, about the size of a golf ball or an orange, are often suspended from the ceiling or tucked away in a dark corner. If you spot one in March, give us a call. That’s when intervention is easiest, least expensive, and most effective.

Garden safety isn’t limited to the shed, by the way. We also deal with nests found in compost bins, under wooden decks, in roller-shutter boxes, behind siding, and, yes, sometimes even in birdhouses. An empty birdhouse at the end of winter makes the perfect shelter for a queen. If you put up birdhouses to promote biodiversity (an excellent idea—we encourage it), just remember to clean them out in October and take a peek inside in April before the chickadees return. It only takes two minutes to check.

Here’s what we ask for when you contact us: your location, a description or a photo, and how urgent it is. If anyone in your household is allergic to insect bites, please let us know right away. That changes how we prioritize calls.

What we don’t do: we don’t destroy bee nests. A bee colony in a garden shed can be relocated—it shouldn’t be killed. We’ll refer you to a local beekeeper. The same goes for bumblebees, which are harmless in 99 % of cases and whose colonies die off naturally in the fall. A responsible professional starts by identifying the problem, not by spraying.

One last note about scheduling. In July and August, we receive up to 40 calls a day. We respond to everyone, but time slots fill up quickly. If you’ve spotted a nest and the situation isn’t yet critical, don’t put off calling until next week: a wasp colony doubles in size in three weeks during peak season, and a nest that fits in one hand today will fill a crate by September.

Contact Frelons.be, describe your situation, and get a quote. No obligation, no surprises.

Conclusion

A nest in a garden shed isn’t inevitable or a tragedy—as long as you don’t try to be a hero. Close the door, step back, and call us. The rest is our job—we’ve got the right equipment and protective gear for the job.

Above all, remember this: inspect your shed twice a year, in March and June. It takes just five minutes—flashlight in hand—to check the corners of the ceiling and the roof framing. If spotted early, a nest is less expensive to deal with, can be treated more quickly, and doesn’t put anyone in danger. If spotted in August, that’s a whole different story.

Are you unsure about what you saw in your shed? Send us a photo using the form or call us directly. Free estimate, prices quoted upfront, service available throughout French-speaking Belgium, year-round.

Frequently asked questions