Open aerial nests under eaves and fire escapes
Paper wasp nests are open combs hanging from a single stalk and are the easiest to reach. They are typically treated and knocked down in one visit, and the surface is checked for new starts.
Urgent? Phones answered 24/7
Wasp & Hornet Removal in New York
Nest identification and removal for wasps, yellowjackets and hornets under eaves, on fire escapes and around rooftop equipment.
- Phones answered 24/7
- Whole building or a single apartment
- You approve the price first
- Written report for your landlord or board
Get a fast quote
Fastest: call (855) 974-4733. Or send this and we call you back.
Wasp Removal
Wasp & Hornet Removal: what it covers
Quick answer
Wasp and hornet removal in New York starts with identifying the insect and finding the nest, which may be under an eave, on a fire escape, behind a shutter or in a roof void. A technician treats and removes it with protective gear. New York Pest Control answers phones 24/7 and confirms the price before work begins.
Summer in New York is warm and humid enough for wasp colonies to grow quickly. A nest that began in spring as a single queen's start can by August be a busy colony, and the first sign is often an insect flying in and out of the same small gap above a window or beside a rooftop unit. Nests turn up under eaves, along fire escape frames, on the underside of balconies, in the housing of rooftop equipment and in the gap behind an air-conditioner.
The danger is not only the sting. Paper wasps, yellowjackets and hornets defend a nest if it is disturbed, and a nest by a stoop, a fire escape door or a roof hatch is one that people brush past every day. A local technician identifies the insect, locates the nest and removes it with protective clothing and a treatment suited to the spot. In a multi-unit building, the answer to who handles a nest on a fire escape or roof is usually the owner or managing agent, and we will help you word that report if the nest is on a shared part of the building.
- Service area
- New York & New York County
- Availability
- Phones answered 24/7, emergencies first
- Phone
- (855) 974-4733
Warning signs
Signs you need wasp & hornet removal
Do not spray, swat or knock down a nest yourself, especially from a ladder or fire escape. Keep children and pets away, close windows nearest the nest, and get emergency medical help for anyone with trouble breathing or facial swelling after a sting.
- Wasps repeatedly flying to and from one small gap in a soffit, window frame or roof edge
- A grey papery nest the size of a golf ball or larger under an eave, a railing or a balcony ceiling
- A steady buzzing or scratching heard inside a wall, ceiling or shutter box
- Several wasps landing on a window from the inside in a room near the roof
- Wasps gathering around trash bins, a fire escape or a rooftop air-handling unit
- Stings on people or pets near a stoop, fire escape door or rear yard
- A cluster of wasps circling an outdoor light or entrance in the evening
Cost
How much does wasp & hornet removal cost in New York?
We have no sourced local price for nest work, so we do not print one. The quote reflects the kind of nest, where it is and how difficult it is to reach.
| Job | Typical range | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Open nest within easy reach | Quoted on site | ladder-height, no special access needed |
| Nest in a wall, soffit or roof void | Quoted on site | may involve opening or sealing a gap |
| High or hard-to-reach nest | Quoted on site | roof, tall facade or fire escape; access equipment adds cost |
| Several nests on one building | Quoted on site | usually priced per visit with the nests counted together |
Estimates are confirmed before any work starts. A nest in a stairwell or by an entrance can be treated as a priority, and the technician explains the price first.
Options
Types and options for wasp & hornet removal
Enclosed nests in voids and walls
Yellowjackets and hornets often build inside a wall void, a roof space or a hollow where you cannot see the comb. Treatment goes in at the entrance, and the void may need sealing afterwards so the cavity is not reused.
Ground and structure nests near yards
In a rear yard, a tree pit or a garden strip, some wasps nest in the soil or in a gap in masonry. These are found by watching the flight line and are treated at the opening.
Need wasp & hornet removal today?
Call any hour and explain what is going on. You get a clear price before any work starts.
How do I tell a wasp from a hornet or a bee?
Wasps and hornets have smooth, slim bodies and build papery nests, while bees are rounder and hairier and nest in wax combs. Honey bees are best left to a beekeeper. A technician identifies the insect before any treatment, since the right method depends on which one you have.
Photos help. If you can take a safe picture from a window of the nest and the insects, send it when you call and describe the location. Do not go closer to get a better shot.
Yellowjackets are often mistaken for bees because of their stripes, and they are more likely to turn up at trash bins and outdoor tables late in summer.
Is it safe to knock down a wasp nest myself?
No. Disturbing a nest brings out the whole colony, and stings above a street, on a fire escape or from a ladder can mean a fall. A small, new nest is still best treated by a technician in protective gear, especially if anyone in the home is allergic to stings.
Hardware-store sprays can make wasps more aggressive if the spray misses, and they do nothing about a nest hidden in a void. If you or a household member has had a serious reaction to a sting before, keep clear of the area and say so when you call.
Anyone stung who develops trouble breathing, swelling of the face or throat, or dizziness needs emergency medical care straight away, not a pest call.
Why do wasps nest on fire escapes and rooftop equipment?
Fire escapes, eaves and rooftop equipment offer sheltered, rarely disturbed corners that are warm in the sun and out of the rain. Colonies tend to build where people seldom look, which is why they are often found at height or behind a unit.
The 1901 New Tenement Law is why so many older walk-ups have fire escapes. The metal frames, the underside of the landing and the corners where a ladder meets the wall are all spots a queen might choose.
A nest on a shared fire escape or roof is normally for the owner or managing agent to deal with. Tell them in writing and keep a copy, and call 311 if the nest is not handled.
How do I keep wasps from coming back next year?
Seal gaps in soffits, window frames and wall openings, screen vents, keep trash bins tightly lidded and clear fallen fruit and sweet spills. Old nests are not reused, but a good spot can be chosen again, so a technician treats the entrance and suggests what to close or screen.
Check eaves, fire escape corners, rooftop equipment and the gaps behind air-conditioners in late spring, when queens are looking for a site and a new nest is still small. Telling the owner or managing agent early is easier than dealing with a full colony in August.
If you have an outdoor eating area, keep drinks and food covered and clean tables promptly. Wasps are drawn to sugar and protein, and a few minutes of tidying cuts the number that stay.
Our process
How our wasp & hornet removal visit works
Identify the insect
The technician works out whether you have paper wasps, yellowjackets or hornets, because each builds differently and reacts differently when disturbed.
Locate the nest and the entrance
Wasps often fly a straight line to their entrance, so the flight path is followed to the nest, whether it is open under an eave or hidden in a wall or roof void.
Quote and plan access
You hear the price before work begins, including whether a ladder, a roof access or a lift is needed. High nests above a street or over a shared roof may need the owner's permission.
Treat and remove the nest
Wearing protective clothing, the technician treats the colony and removes the nest where it can be reached, then treats the entrance so it is not reused.
Report and aftercare
A written report lists what was found, what was applied and where, with notes on the likely reason the spot was chosen and how to keep it from being picked again.
New York County
Why wasp & hornet removal is different in New York City
In New York the calendar is real. Wasp queens typically wake and start nests around May as the weather warms, and the numbers rise through the humid months. July has a mean high near 85 F, and August is typically when yellowjackets and hornets are noticed near fire escapes and eaves. That timing is general; a technician can tell you what is actually on your building when they look.
Building type shapes where nests go. A Bushwick wood-frame row has eaves and soffits at a few storeys, an Upper West Side pre-war co-op has rooftop equipment and window air-conditioner gaps, and a Staten Island house has open eaves, a garage and a yard. A restaurant with an outdoor seating area also has bins and sweet drinks that draw foraging wasps, so owners may want to read about restaurant and commercial pest control.
Late-summer wasps also look for sugar and protein around trash. The city's trash containerization rules, which cover residential buildings of one to nine units from November 2024 and businesses before that, may mean tighter-lidded bins, and a tidy bin area tends to give wasps less to forage around. Our guide to trash containerization and rats has the timeline.
Where we work
Wasp & Hornet Removal across New York County
- Wasp Removal in Chinatown
- Wasp Removal in Lower East Side
- Wasp Removal in East Village
- Wasp Removal in Upper West Side
- Wasp Removal in Harlem
- Wasp Removal in Williamsburg
- Wasp Removal in Bushwick
- Wasp Removal in Bedford-Stuyvesant
- Wasp Removal in Park Slope
- Wasp Removal in Sunset Park
- Wasp Removal in Bay Ridge
- Wasp Removal in Flatbush
- Wasp Removal in Astoria
- Wasp Removal in Long Island City
- Wasp Removal in Jackson Heights
- Wasp Removal in South Ozone Park
- Wasp Removal in Mott Haven
- Wasp Removal in Fordham
- Wasp Removal in St. George
- Wasp Removal in New Springville
- Wasp Removal in Jersey City (Downtown)
- Wasp Removal in Hoboken
- Wasp Removal in Bayonne
- Wasp Removal in Newark (Ironbound)
- Wasp Removal in Kearny
Not sure if you're covered? Check your ZIP code.
Related
Related services
Pigeon & Bird Control
Deterrents, exclusion and cleanup for pigeons roosting on ledges, fire escapes, cornices, rooftops and air-conditioner sleeves.
Spider Control
Web and egg-sac removal, crack-and-crevice treatment and prey control for spiders in cellars, basements, storage rooms and stairwells.
Mosquito Control
Standing-water checks, breeding-site treatment and resting-area treatment for yards, roofs, courtyards and house edges.
Guides
Read before you book
New York City Pest Calendar: What to Watch Each Month
New York has a real winter and a humid summer, so pest calls shift with the season.
FAQ
Wasp & Hornet Removal FAQs
Can you remove a wasp nest inside my wall?
A technician can treat the entrance and the void, but an enclosed nest is harder to reach and may need a gap opened and resealed afterwards. Do not block the entrance yourself, because trapped wasps can chew or squeeze into the room. Describe the spot on the phone and a visit is booked.
How quickly do you come out for a nest?
Phones are answered 24/7, and a visit is made the same day when a technician is free. A nest by an entrance or in a stairwell is treated as a priority; a distant nest on a roof may be scheduled with the owner's access.
Will the wasps come back to the same spot?
Old nests are not reused, but a good spot can be picked again by a new queen the next spring. The technician treats the entrance, suggests sealing the gap and may advise a check in late spring. Nothing can be promised, and the report notes the likely cause.
Do you treat bees?
Honey bees are better handled by a beekeeper, and the technician will tell you if that is what you have. Wasps, yellowjackets and hornets are the focus of this service. If you are unsure, describe the insect or send a photo taken from a safe distance.
Who pays for a nest on the roof or fire escape of my building?
The owner or managing agent normally handles shared parts such as the roof and fire escape. Report it in writing, keep a copy and call 311 if nothing is done. For a nest on your own balcony or window ledge, the cost may be yours; ask the technician which applies.
Do you cover New Jersey?
Yes. Hudson and Essex County towns such as Jersey City, Bayonne and Newark are covered. New Jersey work follows New Jersey rules.