Prevent these winged invaders from taking up residence on your property
Although hornets can be beneficial as they are natural predators of many pests, including caterpillars, aphids, and grubs, they present a danger if they begin building their nest too close to your home or outdoor living area. Learning how to keep hornets away from your home is a crucial step to avoiding potentially dangerous stings.
While eliminating an established hornet’s nest is typically a job for a professional pest control company, you can avoid that headache and expense by nipping your hornet woes in the bud early using the following techniques.
The type of hornet you're dealing with can often determine the course of action you should take when attempting to get rid of them. The most common hornets living in North America include the following:
European Hornet: This species of hornet looks similar to the yellow jackets, mud daubers, and other types of wasps that reside throughout the continent, only bigger. A European hornet can grow up to 1 1/2 inches long. Similar to some wasps, they have yellow and orange stripes with golden brown wings. European hornets typically build their nests more than six feet off the ground in dark hollow spaces, such as in a gap in a soffit. While European hornets are generally docile, they will sting multiple times if threatened.
Bald-Faced Hornet: This type of hornet is smaller than its European cousin at 1/2 and 3/4 inches long. This hornet species gets its name from the pale bands that cover its body. The bald-faced hornet usually builds its nests in trees or bushes that are at least three feet off the ground. Bald-faced hornets are aggressive and will attack people and animals that get close to the nest, so it’s crucial to prevent them from establishing a hive on your property.
By being observant, you can identify when hornets are scouting your home for a nest and nip the problem in the bud before it requires the expertise of a local professional exterminator.
While seeing the occasional hornet fly by may not be cause for concern (they might even be helping to control other pests in your yard), frequent hornet activity is a good indication they’re building a nest. You should be especially wary if you observe many hornets congregating around one area.
Hornets are notoriously loud when building their nests. Even if you may not be able to see the hornets or their nest, you might be able to hear them buzzing. If you can locate the source of that buzzing noise, you’ll probably find a nest.
Keep your eyes peeled while in your yard during the spring. A hornet’s nest may appear in a corner under a covered porch, in the soffit of an eave, in a garage or shed, or in the hollow trunk of a tree. Nests that are under construction will have the telltale hexagonal paper shape. Hornet nests have a papery texture and are usually a dull gray or brown color. If you spot one, nip the nest in the bud. It only takes hornets about three weeks to construct a nest.
Some hornets will scrape thin layers off wood structures to use as building material for their nests. If you spot damage to a wood fence or happen upon a hornet scraping wood, chances are there is a nest under construction nearby.
Finding out what attracts hornets and what repels them is the key to keeping them away from your home. Try these preventative measures to get rid of hornets for good.
Make sure to close plastic trash bags tightly and keep your garbage can lids closed and tightly sealed.
If you have fruit trees, pick up any fallen fruit before it attracts hornets.
Consider removing any hummingbird feeders in your yard as the sweet liquid will attract hornets.
Many hornets love to build their nests in small gaps and openings around the exterior of your home. Inspect your home’s soffits, windows, and siding for signs of openings.
Repair any crevices or gaps that are creating an optimal place for these winged squatters to build nests.
Create a DIY hornet repellent by mixing several drops of clove, peppermint, lemongrass, or geranium oils with water and a few tablespoons of dish soap in a spray bottle.
Apply the mixture anywhere you observe hornet activity to drive them away.
Reapply the spray mixture every few days until the hornets are gone.
Place a few dryer sheets around the perimeter of your outdoor living space. Hornets (like their cousins, bees and wasps) hate the smell of them, keeping them at bay, so you can enjoy your outdoor living space.
Tuck dryer sheets into any gaps or openings in your exterior until you can make repairs.
If you have persistent bald-faced hornets, consider purchasing a fake hornet’s nest that looks like the paper nests they build from your local home improvement store.
Mount the nest close to your house. Bald-faced hornets are very territorial and won’t build a nest within 200 feet of another.
If you’ve tried the above methods to ward off hornets and they aren’t working, you may need to employ lethal tactics to solve your pest problem. Use these tactics as a last resort as they’ll lure in more than just hornets. They also pose a threat to the honey bee, which is one of the most beneficial insects to the environment.
Create a hornet trap by taking a two-liter plastic bottle and cutting the top off of it.
Invert the top, and then place it inside the bottom part of the bottle and use duct tape to secure it.
Pour about an inch of sugar water or another sweet liquid into the bottom. Hornets will be attracted to the bait and descend into the bottle through the hole, where they’ll become trapped and eventually die.
Place the trap outside in an area frequented by hornets.
Fill a bucket with water, and then add vinegar to it along with a few drops of dish soap.
Place the bucket near plants or under the eaves of your roof in places where you’ve observed hornet activity.
Hornets are attracted to the vinegar, become trapped in the mixture, and eventually die.
If you find a nest early enough, you can safely remove it without hiring a professional exterminator. A good rule of thumb is if the nest is the size of a tennis ball or smaller, you can take it out on your own. Any bigger, and it’s not safe to attempt a DIY removal. Follow these tips for removing a hornet’s nest safely or hire a pro for assistance.
Stick to nests that are close to the ground. If your assault on the nest requires you to ascend a ladder, it’s too dangerous for a DIY removal.
Prepare yourself by wearing protective clothing that covers as much skin as possible, including gloves, long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, and goggles. Wear multiple layers of clothing for better protection from stings.
Hornets are least active at night, so plan your attack after sundown. This method will ensure they’re less likely to swarm in retaliation. It’s also much more likely that most of the hive will be at home, increasing the odds that you can eliminate all its inhabitants in a single strike.
Take out the nest using a hornet or wasp spray. Look for products that are capable of hitting the nest from a long distance. Don't be stingy with the spray; douse the entire nest.
If your efforts to ward off hornets have failed and they’ve established a nest with hundreds of occupants, you’ll need to eliminate the nest. If the nest is large or you have occupants in the home who are allergic to stings, it’s best to hire a professional pest control company near you.
The cost of hornet nest removal depends on its size and location. A professional hornet or wasp removal service costs between $100 and $1,300.
If the nest is relatively small, you might be able to eliminate it using products purchased from your local home improvement store. These pest solutions, which include sprays and dusts, cost between $12 and $15.
The best hornet repellent includes a variety of essential oils such as peppermint, clove, geranium, and lemongrass, all of which have a pungent smell that hornets can’t stand.
Hornets are attracted to bright colors that look like flowers, including purple, pink, white, green, and yellow. They are least attracted to dark colors, such as blue and black.
Numerous predators kill hornets, including frogs, birds, lizards, bats, spiders, and hedgehogs. Some larger predators, including rats, skunks, and racoons, will occasionally attack a hornet nest in order to eat the larvae inside. These natural predators typically don’t eat enough hornets to make them an effective form of hornet control.
