Hornets are natural predators. In a controlled environment, they can even be great pest controllers themselves. But the typical homeowner really does not want to be anywhere near these stinging insects. Their risks far outweigh their benefits. But what if you see them on your property? You get rid of them. Here are five simple ways to get rid of hornets.
What are hornets and why are they dangerous?
Hornets are some of the largest wasps in existence today. They are similar in appearance to their smaller cousins – the yellow jackets. They are often reddish-brown, especially in the head and thorax. And they also usually have golden abdomens with brown stripes. What separates them from other common wasps is their relatively thicker midsections.
The worst thing about hornets is that they can be very aggressive, especially when they feel threatened. And they will indeed feel threatened if you try to get rid of their nest on your property.
Hornets can attack in two ways. They can either sting you or squirt venom into your eyes. Hornet stings are painful. Victims are lucky if they only experience pain. The unluckiest victims can have serious allergic reactions that require immediate medical attention. Those who get hornet venom into their eyes can also experience temporary blindness.
If you don’t get rid of the hornets on your property, you, your family, and even your pets will always be at risk of these attacks.
How do you know if you have a hornet infestation?
The most obvious sign that you have a hornet infestation is seeing live hornets on your property. They are more active during the day, so you are more likely to see them while the sun is out. To find their nest, simply follow them, especially when the sun is going down and they are returning to their nest.
The location of their nest will depend on what kind of hornet is infesting your home. There are two general kinds of hornets to look out for: European hornets – as the name suggests usually found in Europe – and bald-faced hornets – found mostly in North America.
European hornets are more likely to nest in the voids of your home, such as those found in your attic, porch, or walls. Bald-faced hornets are more likely to nest in aerial settings such as trees and the outdoor corners of your home. This is contradictory to yellow jackets who often nest underground.
How do you get rid of hornets?
It’s really important to make sure that you are dealing with hornets and not other stinging insects. Mis-identification of pests is a sure-fire way to make pest control ineffective. With that said, here are simple ways to get rid of hornets.
1. Call a pest control professional
You don’t need to get rid of the hornets yourself. You can hire someone to do it for you. This is actually the best option for one simple reason: professional pest controllers have the knowledge and the gear to deal with the hornet infestation properly and safely.
Even if you think you know what you are doing – you read an article about hornets online – you probably don’t have the proper gear, like beekeeper veils, to protect yourself from hornet attacks.
2. Use an insecticide
There are a lot of ways to get rid of hornets yourself if you don’t want to hire somebody to do it for you. But if you are going to do pest control yourself, make sure to suit up. Wear protective clothing like long sleeves, pants, and goggles to protect yourself from stings and squirts of venom.
One of the easiest do-it-yourself methods is the use of insecticides. Make sure to use insecticides that are specifically formulated for wasps. It’s even better if the insecticides even specify that they are good for hornets.
Simply spray a generous amount of the insecticide in the entrances of the hornet nest. Make sure to follow the instructions on the label. For maximum effectiveness, spray during night-time because this is the time where most of the hornets are already back in the nest resting after a day’s work.
Wait one or two days and inspect the nest again. If there is still activity, spray again. Repeat this process until you no longer see hornet activity. It will take about two to three applications of the insecticide to completely get rid of the hornets.
3. Put the hornet nest in a plastic bag
This one is a little more hands-on and can potentially be more dangerous. But it’s also straightforward and could solve your hornet problem immediately.
Hornet nests are often found in low-hanging tree branches and other locations you can easily cut down or isolate.
Place a heavy plastic bag below the hornet nest and cut down the object (usually a tree branch) that holds the nest in place. The nest should drop into the plastic bag where you can isolate it completely. You can spray insecticide in the plastic bag for maximum effectiveness.
4. Use baits and traps
There are commercial baits and traps out there for hornets. But you can also make them at home using accessible materials.
You can use a soda bottle trap with an enticing bait. Cut the soda bottle horizontally, invert the top portion you just cut off, and place it on top of the remaining bottom portion of the bottle. This will create a funnel that hornets find easy to get in but hard to get out.
Add bait inside the bottle. Hornets will be attracted to sweet substances, so anything with sugar can work, such as fruit juices, jams, and sodas.
Place the trap on areas with high hornet activity. You may have to replenish the bait and remove the trapped hornets from time to time.
This method can be effective for minor infestations. But it may fail to give good results for severe ones. After all, you are just picking off hornets and are not really attacking the nest.
5. Prevent the hornets from coming back
Congratulations on getting rid of the stinging pests on your property, but the job is not done. You should prevent them from coming back. Here are some quick tips:
- Buy or make a fake nest. Hornets are territorial and would avoid properties that already have wasps on them.
- Keep your bushes and trees well-trimmed. Hornets like to set up their nest on the hidden parts of bushes and trees as much as possible.
- Seal all holes on your attic, porch, wall, and other parts of your home. Hornets can build their nests inside cavities in your home. Seal the holes, so you don’t attract hornets.
Be careful in getting rid of hornets
Hornets are dangerous creatures. They can sting and squirt venom into your eyes. You definitely don’t want these stinging insects around your property.
Get rid of hornets now by calling a pest control professional or by doing it yourself. If you choose the DIY route, make sure you have the proper knowledge and equipment to eliminate these pests effectively and safely.