pest-control

Wasp and Hornet Nest Removal Cost in New Hampshire: 2026 Prices by Species and Location

Wasp and hornet nest removal cost in New Hampshire runs $150 to $450 for most nests and up to $700 for wall voids. Prices by species, region, and timing.

Wasp and Hornet Nest Removal Cost in New Hampshire: 2026 Prices by Species and Location

Removing a wasp or hornet nest in New Hampshire costs $150 to $450 for most jobs. Paper wasps under a deck rail in Nashua sit at the bottom of that range.

A bald-faced hornet nest the size of a basketball in a Concord maple sits at the top. Yellowjackets inside a wall void in an old Portsmouth colonial can run $400 to $700 because the job involves opening or treating the wall.

Prices climb through August and September, which is peak nest season in the state. By late summer a nest that started with a single queen in May holds several hundred to several thousand workers, and the insects are more defensive. Companies in the Manchester, Nashua, and Seacoast areas book up fast in those weeks, and same-day service often carries a $50 to $100 premium.

Here is what drives the price, what each species costs to deal with, and when it makes sense to call a pro versus wait for the first hard frost.

What Sets the Price

The species and the nest location are the two main factors. Beyond that, the size of the nest, how high it is, whether it is inside a structure, and how quickly you need it gone all move the quote. Most New Hampshire pest control companies price nest removal as a flat fee based on those factors rather than by the hour.

A reachable nest on the exterior of a house, under an eave or a deck, is the baseline job at $150 to $275. Nests above 15 feet require a ladder and sometimes a second technician, adding $50 to $150. Nests inside a wall, attic, or soffit are the expensive category because the technician has to locate the entry point, treat the void, and sometimes return.

Travel is a factor in the North Country and the Lakes Region. A company based in Laconia or Plymouth may charge a trip fee of $40 to $80 to reach a nest in Lincoln or Conway. Companies in the southern tier rarely charge for travel within their service area.

Many companies include a return visit if the nest is still active after a week. Ask whether that is part of the price. Some also offer a season-long stinging insect guarantee for $200 to $350 that covers any new nests on the property through October.

Paper Wasps

Paper wasps build the small, open, umbrella-shaped combs under eaves, deck rails, mailboxes, and shutters. They are the most common stinging insect call in the state and the cheapest to handle at $125 to $225. Most homeowners can deal with a small paper wasp nest themselves with a can of aerosol spray at dusk.

The exception is a house with dozens of small nests in every corner of the trim, which is common on older homes in Keene or Claremont with lots of clapboard and soffit gaps. Treating all of them is a $250 to $400 job.

Bald-Faced Hornets

Bald-faced hornets build the gray, football-shaped paper nests in trees and shrubs and occasionally on the side of a building. They are aggressive when the nest is disturbed and will sting repeatedly. Removal runs $200 to $450 depending on height and size.

Nests high in a tree that are not near a walkway or play area can often be left alone until frost kills the colony. Nests at head height along a driveway or near a door should be handled.

Yellowjackets

Yellowjackets nest in the ground, in wall voids, in attics, and behind siding. They are responsible for most of the stings in New Hampshire because their nests are hidden and easy to disturb with a mower or a rake.

Ground nests cost $175 to $300 to treat. Wall void nests run $300 to $700.

The wall void jobs get expensive because a technician cannot simply spray the entrance. Doing that traps the colony inside, and the insects chew through drywall to escape into the house. The correct approach is dusting the void through the entrance so the workers carry the product into the nest.

European Hornets

European hornets are large, brownish, and active at night, which surprises people who find them at porch lights. They nest in hollow trees, barns, and wall voids and are common in the Merrimack Valley and the southern tier. Removal is $250 to $500 because the nests are often inside structures.

Regional Pricing in New Hampshire

The Seacoast, including Portsmouth, Dover, Exeter, and Hampton, runs at the top of the state's price range. Older housing with lots of void spaces and a dense population of pest control companies competing for August calls put typical nest jobs at $200 to $450.

Manchester, Nashua, Salem, and the Route 3 and I-93 corridor see the most competition and the widest range, $150 to $400. Concord and the Lakes Region are similar, with trip fees showing up for jobs in smaller towns.

The Monadnock Region around Keene and Peterborough, and the Upper Valley around Lebanon and Hanover, tend to have fewer companies and slightly longer wait times in peak season. Prices are comparable at $175 to $400, but a two or three day wait is common in late August.

The North Country is the most expensive on a per-job basis because of travel, and the season is shorter. Nests in Berlin, Littleton, or Colebrook may cost $250 to $500 once a trip fee is included.

DIY vs Calling a Professional

A small paper wasp nest you can reach from the ground is a reasonable DIY job. Spray at dusk when the wasps are on the nest, stand upwind, and have a clear path back inside. Cost is about $10 for the can.

A bald-faced hornet nest, a yellowjacket ground nest, or anything inside a wall is worth paying a professional. Hornets and yellowjackets defend the nest aggressively, and the sting count from a disturbed colony can send someone to the hospital. Anyone with a known allergy should not attempt any nest.

Ladders are the other issue. A large share of the stinging insect injuries in the state come from falls, not stings, when someone climbs a ladder to spray a nest under a second-story eave and gets swarmed. A professional with a pole treatment tool handles those from the ground.

The pest control companies in our New Hampshire directory handle stinging insect calls across the state, and most offer same or next-day service through the summer.

When Nests Can Wait

The first hard frost, typically mid to late October in southern New Hampshire and earlier in the north, kills every worker in a wasp or hornet colony. Only the new queens survive, and they leave the nest to overwinter elsewhere. An abandoned nest is never reused.

A nest that is far from doors, walkways, decks, and play areas, and that nobody needs to mow around, can be left until frost at no risk. This applies to most high tree nests and many nests on outbuildings. Once frost has killed the colony, the nest can be knocked down and thrown out.

Nests in wall voids should not wait. Yellowjacket colonies inside a wall can grow large enough to stain drywall, and they sometimes chew through into living space in late summer. A wall nest discovered in July should be treated in July.

Preventing Next Year's Nests

Queens look for nesting sites in April and May. Sealing gaps in soffits, siding, and trim before then reduces the chance of a wall void nest. Filling old rodent holes in the yard removes yellowjacket ground nest sites.

Some companies in the state offer a spring preventive treatment for eaves and soffits at $100 to $200 that discourages paper wasps from building. Results vary. Removing the previous year's nests over the winter is free and helps a little, since queens sometimes build near old nest sites.

For more on seasonal pest costs in the state, including mice, carpenter ants, and ticks, see our New Hampshire home services blog.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to remove a hornet nest in New Hampshire?

Bald-faced hornet nest removal runs $200 to $450 depending on height and size. European hornet nests inside structures cost $250 to $500.

Does homeowners insurance cover wasp nest removal?

No. Nest removal is considered routine maintenance and is not covered. The cost is out of pocket.

When is the best time of year to remove a wasp nest?

Early summer, when the nest is small and the colony has only a few dozen workers. By August the same nest may have thousands of insects and cost more to treat.

Will a wasp nest go away on its own?

Yes, after the first hard frost in October kills the colony. If the nest is far from where people walk or work, waiting is a legitimate option. Nests in walls or near doors should be treated.

Can I remove a yellowjacket nest myself?

Ground nests can be treated with dust insecticide at night, but the risk of multiple stings is real and the nest entrance is easy to misjudge. Wall void nests should always go to a professional.