Hornets like yellow jackets and paper wasp are social wasps that pray mainly on other insects. The primary difference between the hornet and yellow jacket are size, coloring and hunting behavior. The real reason behind the bald faced hornets is referred to as a hornet because they build an aerial nest, while yellow jackets prefer to build nests underground usually in abandoned rodent burrows. While yellow jackets like sugary treats like syrups and soda, hornets tend to restrict their diet to live to pray mostly insect. Because hornets prefer hunting live pray, as their contact with human minimized.
As like other wasps, hornets are not a threat to a human unless they get disturbed. Unfortunately, the black and white bald-faced hornets have a tendency to build nests close to places where people like to spend time. Here are some easy ways to get rid of hornets.
Ways to Get Rid of Hornets:
1.) Locating the Nest
The nest of hornets is a paper or mud like construction which is often shaped like a pine cone, upside down beehive, or just a mass lump. Hornets will look for a sheltered location to make their nest and such nest can be found under leaves, on windows, in tree branches, attics, inside abandoned building, under rafters etc. Any space that is protected from the weather and undisturbed can attract hornets to make their nest.
2.) Bagging the Hornets
This method can be useful when there will be two of you to complete the task and the nest is growing lower, such as the nest is situated on a branch of tree or bush. Do this during the evening when hornets are less active.
- Cover yourselves form head to toe to protect yourself from stings. Wear thick clothing gloves, goggles or safety glasses.
- Buy a large, strong plastic bag. It should be strong enough to resist easy rips.
- Place the bag underneath the bush or tree branch. Try to estimate the trajectory of the nest when it falls, so that the bag will be under it.
- Cut the branch down using long handled hedge trimmers and let the nest drop into the bag.
- Fill the bag with hornet appropriate insecticide and tie it to shut tightly. Dispose of it or burn straight away.
3.) Get Proper Insecticide to Get Rid of Hornets
You can buy a variety of insecticide from the home repair and improvement warehouse stores. But a least expensive product because they all work similarly.
- Don’t buy a generic insecticide unless the label confirms that it works for hornets.
- The night is the good time to spray as they will be sleeping, but you will have more trouble seeing and escaping if the nest does get aggressive.
- Wear long sleeves tucked into your gloves, long pants tucked in your socks, and a wide brimmed hat with a nylon stocking over it, tucked into the neckline of your shirt.
- Wear a respirator because insecticide kills insects, but it is not exactly good for people.
- Then spray your aerosol cans to the nest to get rid of hornets. Most have a range about 15 foot, so you can start from far away, but after a few seconds, you will like to go close and really soak the nest. The chemicals kill instantly so there will not be much risk. After applying the chemical lave the area let fumes to clear.
- The returning hornets will also die, so you can leave the nest alone for a few days.
4.) Vinegar Trap to Get Rid of Hornets
You can make a traditional hornet trap by cutting the neck off a large soda bottle. Then turn the neck funnel downward and into the base of the soda bottle. This will become the tunnel for hornet to enter through. Do two holes either side of the trap and thread through a string handle for hanging. Then knot on either side.
- Place a cup of apple cider vinegar, a drop of dish soap and a little raw meat inside the trap to get rid of hornets. You can even hang raw meat through string or fishing wire.
- Hong this trap where you most see the hornet and wait. Hornets will drop in and either drown or will not be able to find their way back out again.
- To catch the queen, use this trap to early in the spring season to lure her in. Queen awaken in the early spring and start to look for nesting sites. If the trap you make catches her, that’s one less colony in your background.
5.) Bucket trap to Get Rid of Hornets
Fill a bucket vinegar, sugar water, and a little mild dishwashing soap. Set this trap outside and wait for the hornet to drop by and drown. Replace it regularly.
- Make as many as traps as possible as you feel are needed to cover the space. One trap may be sufficient but if you will have various inviting eaves around the place. Try to place several traps just in case you accidently ward off one spot only to encourage nest building on another side of the house.
6.) Queen Trap to Get Rid of Hornets
Queen hornets are solitary creatures in the early spring and look for the food and a good place to nest. You will stop the entire process of colony building if you will caught that one wasp this is what queen traps are for. Any kind of homemade traps can do this but the key is to get a piece of raw meat keep out in the open early enough in the season to gain attention of recently awoken hornet queens. Then kill the queen once you will catch them, and you have essentially spared yourself and your neighbours about the trouble of spraying your yard wth the nasty chemicals and probably spared any hornet attach that may occurred.
7.) Vacuum to Get Rid Hornet
Simply aim the nozzle into the direction of the hornet and suck on the hornet up.
- Be aware that swatting or squashing the hornets tend to release a chemical signal that encourages the other hornets to turn up and sting the defense. While this might not be an issue indoors, but be careful. And never squash the hornet outdoors.
8.) Remove the Nest to Get Rid of Hornets
You can even remove the nest completely. Pull it down, but make sure to wear safety equipment. Dispose of it in a large plastic bag that can be tied off. If the nest is in enclosed area such as a ventilation duct or air conditioner port, a long, serrated bread knife may be useful in removal.
- You need to seal up any entrance holes that can gauge by checking around. This will help to discourage the future hornet intrusion.
- Then inspect your house regularly afterward. A small nest will be easy to remove, squirt the chemical and yank it down, while a large one can require a repeat of this whole process.
9.) Consider Altering the Environment
It depends on where the hornets made their nest, there are even several possible approaches to making it seem different to them, therefore deter them from rebuilding the nest. This include
- Cutting down bushes, branches, and even a tree.
- Repainting a wall, birdhouse, eave, other items around the home.
- Putting up sparkly sun catching mobiles, CDs or mirrors in the vicinity of the demolished/ removed nest.
- Changing some other element around the garden or home where the hornets were hanging around.
- Or you can buy an artificial nest form a hardware store. The reason is that existing nest will keep away because they are territorial. Replace the artificial every year to make sure that it looks intact and is neat.
10.) Keep Protein Sources Away from Hornets
Hornets in north America are mainly insect feeders and eat protein sources. Hence don’t feed on pets or leave pet foods anywhere around the area where hornets previously congregated to get rid of hornets.
Make sure to keep the garbage covered at all times. This will not only deter hornets but it will also keep away all manner of yard pests.
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