Kill wasps and bees: is that allowed? You have to know that
In addition to mosquitoes and spiders, wasps are among the rather unpopular insects. This practical tip explains why you shouldn't just kill wasps.
Kill wasps and bees: fines of up to 50, 000 euros
Summer time is wasp time. When the wasps circle over the sweet cake, some people come up with the idea of killing the wasps. However, this is not permitted in Germany.
- Wasps are generally protected. These include the common wasp and the German wasp. Killing the insects can cost several thousand euros.
- It is even more expensive with the rotary wasp. This type of wasp is threatened with extinction, is on the red list and therefore also under species protection. Killing a gyroscopic wasp can theoretically cost up to 65, 000 euros.
- Removing the nests is also punishable. The illegal removal of a wasp nest can cost up to 50, 000 euros.
- The species protection law also applies to bees and it can cost up to 10, 000 euros if you carelessly slay a bee.
- However, there are also cases where wasps and bees can be killed. As an allergy sufferer, it is your right to kill the insects to avoid the life-threatening consequences of a bite.
- Tip: Instead of killing wasps or bees, you should drive the animals away with calm movements. They only sting when they feel threatened. If an animal comes uncomfortably close to you, it is best to hold your breath as the breath attracts the insects.
Kill wasps or bees: how realistic are the penalties?
- The fines do not apply explicitly to wasps, but generally to animals and insects that are under nature or species protection. The penalties for a beaver killed are as high as for a wasp killed.
- In practice, nobody will report you for killing a wasp. However, if you set up a wasp trap in the garden and your neighbor shows you, a fine is quite conceivable.
- The website bussgeldkatalog.org offers a good overview of the fines. However, these are theoretical maximum fines. The journalistic portal Correctiv has also dealt with this topic and investigated how realistic the fines are.