Of hornets and heights The front-page news article (October 18), in connection with the fracas that the oriental hornets have brought about on the local honey production, prompts me to share my experience to have a hornet’s nest removed from our home. Some weeks ago, we noticed an unusually high presence of hornets in the front garden, making it uneasy to move about because of the obvious physical danger. Soon enough, we discovered a hornet’s nest lodged in a first-floor room ventilator. Having been advised to get professionals to have it removed, we contacted a pest control company. We got a quotation of between €90 and €140 depending on what it takes. Initially, I considered this somewhat steep but then I was self-convinced that these operators have to invest in safety equipment, including protective clothing, and maybe use special professional chemicals. Expanding foam was used to seal the ventilator. My perception could not be more distant from the actual practice. The foreign employee who called to remove the nest had no protection attire whatsoever. He was in short sleeves. No helmet, no goggles or face mask, let alone protective overalls, similar to those worn by...
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