Get Rid of Hornets
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Hornets look very fearsome due to their size, but they aren't out to make trouble. Hornets are territorial but are far less aggressive than the yellow jacket. The bald-faced hornet (left) is the most common hornet wasp in the U.S. To get rid of hornets, you should use a can of pressurized wasp killer to spray the nest from a distance during the evening. Be sure to have a flashlight so you can see the nest entrance. |
| Getting rid of hornets isn’t much different from getting rid of yellow jackets. Here in the United States the most common hornet, the Bald-faced Hornet, isn’t actually a hornet at all, and is more closely related to the Yellow Jacket wasp. The primary differences between the yellow jacket and the hornet are size (the hornet is larger), coloring (hornets are ivory and black), and hunting behavior. | |
| The real reason the bald-faced hornet is referred to as a hornet because it builds an aerial nest, while yellow jackets prefer to build nests underground—usually in abandoned rodent burrows. While yellow jackets are big fans of sugary treats like soda and syrups, hornets tend to restrict their diets to live prey—insects mostly. Because hornets prefer hunting live prey, their contact with humans is minimized. Generally speaking hornets only attack other creatures (like you) if their nest is disturbed, and if this is the case they will mobilize the entire colony in to defend the nest—a potentially life threatening scenario for some people. Below, I will describe some preventative, non-chemical ways to get rid of hornets as well as ways to kill hornets and hornet nest removal. | |
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Hornets prefer protein and will eat meat and high protein substances like pet food. It is best to keep such things as fish remains, pet food, and other sources of protein out of your yard. This can include compost piles and compost heaps where raw fruits and other protein rich materials are left out in the open. Try to keep compost heaps either buried or kept in sealable containers. Keep pet food in sealable containers if you have outdoors pets, or if you can get pet-released food containers, that will work too. |
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| Keeping garbage cans sealed, clean, and taking garbage out regularly should help get rid of hornets. Even though hornets do prefer to feed on other pests, there are times when food is scarce and grabbing a bite to eat at the local dumpster is just easier. Garbage cans that are left outdoors should be kept closed. Garbage bins should have a top that seals properly and is never left open during the early months of summer (while hornet nests are still growing). If you can’t manage to keep your garbage cans sealed, you will want to dust your garbage cans with Boric Acid a few times a month or as you see fit. |
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There is another type of non-chemical trap that is useful for getting rid of hornets, and it’s called a wasp trap. These traps are designed to catch queen hornets, who are solitary creatures in the early spring looking for food and a good place to nest. You can potentially stop the entire process of colony building if you lay this trap in the early spring and catch a queen hornet or a queen yellow jacket or queen wasp. The traps contain meat and juice, which work to gain the attention of recently awoken hornet queens. Kill the queen, and you’ve spared yourself and your neighbors the trouble of spraying your yard with nasty chemicals. |
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Hornet Nest RemovalHornet nest removal isn’t any different than wasp nest removal, except that you won’t have to worry about underground nests. Unlike yellow jackets, hornets build aerial nests. Therefore, it can be difficult getting the poison into the hornets' nests. Fortunately, there are special kinds of hornet & wasp killer that will spray up to 15 feet into the air. You’ll want to do this at night and you will surely want to wear protective clothing whenever you are about to engage hornets. Make sure that you get the spray directly into the entrance usually found near the bottom of the nest. Try not to break the tissue like construction of the nest because if you do, and the hornets are mad, you’ll have a horde of angry hornets coming straight for you. Most sprays kill hornets on contact, so the ones who do escape are probably about to die. Be prepared to run away if you have to! |
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