Where this stops being a DIY job

• Anyone in the household has a known sting allergy, or has ever had a severe reaction
• The nest is above head height, or reaching it needs a ladder
• The nest is inside a wall, soffit, chimney, roof void or floor cavity
• The nest is larger than a football
• It is a bald-faced hornet nest, at any size
• It is late in the season (August onward) when colonies are largest and most defensive
• The nest is near a main doorway, a child's play area, or a pet run
• You cannot see the whole nest clearly, so you cannot judge its size

Why ladders specifically

The injury that actually sends people to hospital in this hobby is usually not the sting. It is the fall. Being stung while holding a ladder at 3 metres produces a reflex, and the reflex is what breaks a wrist. This is the entire reason we sell a 4-metre inspection pole and describe it as an inspection tool: look from the ground, decide from the ground.

If someone is stung

Most stings need cold water and an antihistamine, nothing more. Get away from the nest first — a wasp sting releases alarm pheromone that recruits others, and a second sting is likelier than a first.

Call emergency services immediately for difficulty breathing, swelling of the face, lips or throat, dizziness, a widespread rash, or any sting inside the mouth. If an adrenaline auto-injector is prescribed, use it and still call. Do not wait to see whether it settles.

This is general information, not medical advice. If you have a known allergy, your doctor's plan overrides anything on this page.

Timing, if you do proceed

Dusk or just before dawn, when foragers are back in the nest and activity is lowest. Never in the middle of a warm afternoon. Have an exit route decided before you start, and never work alone.