paper wasp nest removal - Ask Extension
We have a large paper wasp nest hanging from a pine tree. We will have to remove it in the next year or so so we can sell the house. Is there any conc...
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paper wasp nest removal #923531
Asked January 12, 2026, 1:32 PM EST
We have a large paper wasp nest hanging from a pine tree. We will have to remove it in the next year or so so we can sell the house. Is there any concern about us removing the nest ourselves? Can we safely assume all the wasps are gone, or do we need to hire a specialist just in case? Is our risk lower if we remove it on a cold day?
Thank you!!
Montgomery County Maryland
Expert Response
It sounds like you found a Baldfaced Hornet nest (paper wasp nests are not that large, and tend to hang under a roof eave or inside a dense shrub); in either case, you can learn about the distinctions in the page linked above.
Either of those wasp nests will be empty now, in that all workers are dead in winter. Only a few mated young queens from any given nest survive the winter, hunkered-down solo and essentially hibernating in a sheltered location elsewhere. There should no risk to removing the nest at any point, though if it's too high to reach safely, you can let weathering and wildlife break it apart naturally, as such nests often don't last through the winter intact. Birds, squirrels, wind, etc., help to disintegrate it. There's no need to trim a tree branch to remove it (best to avoid cutting the wood if you can), as it should knock down fairly easily.
Miri
Either of those wasp nests will be empty now, in that all workers are dead in winter. Only a few mated young queens from any given nest survive the winter, hunkered-down solo and essentially hibernating in a sheltered location elsewhere. There should no risk to removing the nest at any point, though if it's too high to reach safely, you can let weathering and wildlife break it apart naturally, as such nests often don't last through the winter intact. Birds, squirrels, wind, etc., help to disintegrate it. There's no need to trim a tree branch to remove it (best to avoid cutting the wood if you can), as it should knock down fairly easily.
Miri
