Bald-faced hornets are a common and helpful species of wasp that dine on garden insects.[1] They have dark bodies with a white-patterned face and resemble yellowjackets, another type of wasp. Their ability to sting while looking for food can make them dangerous to humans. The best way to keep hornets away is to prevent and reduce food sources around your home. However, if they make a nest nearby and you can’t tolerate them, the only solution is to remove the nest.
[Edit]Steps
[Edit]Using Traps and Repellents
- Make a hornet trap out of a 2-liter soda bottle and jam. Cut a 2-liter bottle just below the neck and invert the top portion to create a funnel. Tape the 2 pieces together with masking tape, poke 2 holes on opposite sides of the rim, and attach some string through the holes. Fill the base with water and add a few drops of dish soap to break the surface tension. Then, add a spoonful of jam into the water and hang the trap from a tree. When a hornet enters it, it’ll be trapped and eventually die.[2]
- The dish soap breaks the surface tension, which helps drown the hornet.
- When the trap is full of hornets or when the water level is low, empty it out and refill it.
- You could also purchase a pre-made wasp trap and add jam to it to keep hornets from the area.
- Spray wasp repellent in areas where hornets like to build nests. Spray wasp repellents are an effective way to keep hornets from building nests in your area. Apply the repellent in high corners in sheds and on porches, as well as any nooks and crannies in any exterior walls.[3]
- Apply the repellent to areas where hornets like to build nests at the beginning of spring and at the beginning of fall.
- Popular wasp repellents include Raid Wasp & Hornet Killer, Ortho Wasp Hornet Killer, and Black Flag Killer.
- You can find wasp repellent at hardware stores, department stores, and by ordering it online.
- Mix clove, geranium, and lemongrass oil to make a natural repellent. Fill a spray bottle with water and add a few drops of each essential oil into the bottle. Shake it up well to mix it and spray the areas outside your home where hornets like to build nests such as under your eaves, porch roof, and any other ledges.[4]
- Spray the natural repellent in the spring and fall to keep hornets from building nests.
- If you’ve had hornet nests in the past, spray the deterrent where the former nests were to keep hornets from coming back.
- Hang a fake hornet nest to ward off hornets. Though the science is mixed, because hornets are highly territorial, hanging a decoy hornet nest made of a material such as thread, brown paper, or papier-mâché may help keep hornets from setting up a nest in your area. Search online for decoy hornet nests you can purchase and choose a spot such as a high corner or another prominent location to hang it.[5]
- Look for a spot that is covered from wind and rain so it won’t get knocked down.
- Put up bird feeders in the area to attract birds. Birds will eat and scare off any hornets and keep them from coming to your area. Put bird feeders up in your yard and keep it filled with bird seed so you can attract a steady stream of birds.[6]
- Set up bird baths as well to bring even more birds to your area.
- Plant citronella, thyme, or eucalyptus to deter hornets. Wasp-repelling plants will naturally keep hornets away from the area. Plant them in your garden to add beauty and a pleasant scent to your yard.[7]
- You can also trim off pieces of thyme to add to your food.
- Citronella also works to keep mosquitos away as well.
[Edit]Removing Potential Lures
- Pick up dropped fruit immediately to keep from attracting hornets. Hornets love fruit and will be drawn to the scent, so don’t leave peels or pieces lying around. If a hornet discovers fruit in the area, they may try to build a nest nearby. Pick up any fruit that may be on the ground in your area.[8]
- If you have a compost pile, bury any fruit peels or pieces at least down so the hornets don’t see or smell it.
- Bananas are especially attractive to hornets, so be sure to discard of their peels in a sealed garbage can.
- Make sure your garbage and recycling cans are closed. Open containers of food and garbage can attract hornets in search of food. Keep garbage cans and waste bins closed shut at all times. If hornets discover a new food source, they may establish a new nest in the area, so keeping them sealed is an effective way to deter them.[9]
- Tie any bags of garbage shut as well so hornets can’t access them.
- Seal any cracks in your walls with caulk to prevent nesting. Hornets can enter the walls of your home through any cracks or crevices and build a nest inside that can be really difficult to eradicate. They can also damage the structure of the wall, so to keep yourself and your home protected, apply caulk to any cracks that you see so they’re sealed shut.[10]
- Cover your food and watch your drinks when you’re dining outside. Hornets will roam around an area in search of food for their nest, which includes any food or drink you’re enjoying outside. Keep your plates covered and serve your drinks in wide-mouthed cups so you can easily see inside and won’t accidentally take a drink if a hornet is in it. Whenever you’re finished eating outside, put away your dirty dishes as soon as possible.[11]
- If hornets think they’ve found a new food source, more of them may return and they could potentially set up a nest in the area.
- Avoid using sweet-smelling scents that may attract hornets. Hornets have a highly developed sense of smell and sweet-smelling chemicals in cologne, perfume, and soap can attract them and make them think that you may be a food source. Use unscented soaps, shampoos, and deodorants. Wash your clothes with unscented detergents if there are hornets in the area.[12]
- Sweat that collects in your clothing can attract nearby hornets, so wear clean clothing if hornets have been in the area.
- Remove any brightly colored items from the area. Hornets can get excited by bright colors and potentially attack you. Pick up any brightly colored objects from your yard such as lawn chairs, garden decorations, or even frisbees that could attract hornets.[13]
- Avoid wearing brightly colored clothes when you’re outside as well.
- Clean up piles of leaves and wood from your yard. Mated female hornets can bury themselves down in leaf litter and eventually emerge to start a new nest. Rake up piles of leaves and gather any wood and remove it from your yard to help prevent future nests.[14]
- Female hornets will try to hibernate in piles of leaves, so make sure you keep your yard clean during winter.
- Hang raw meat away from your pool or deck to draw the hornets to it. Hornets can be attracted to water, making swimming in an outdoor pool risky. Hanging out on your deck can leave you exposed to hornets in the area. Draw the hornets away from you by hanging a cheap cut of steak or some ground beef in an area far away from your pool or deck. The hornets will be attracted to the meat and stay away from your area.[15]
- You could also place some cat food or fish remains out in your yard away from your pool or deck to keep the hornets away.
[Edit]Getting Rid of a Hornet Nest
- Wait for 2 hours after nightfall so the hornets are less active. Hornets are highly active during the day and many of the insects will be out and about gathering food and materials for the nest. Wait for the sun to go down so all of the insects return to the nest and the cooler temperature will slow down their activity.[16]
- You want to hit the nest with insecticide while all of the hornets are inside of it to get all of them at once.
- You could also wait for early dawn, just before the sun rises, when the hornets are also less active.
- Put on protective clothing to avoid getting stung. Hornets have painful stings and will swarm once they’re agitated, so it’s important that you cover yourself with clothing that will help guard against them. A sturdy pair of jeans, boots, leather gloves, and a hoodie will help protect you.[17]
- A beekeeping hat will also help protect your face and neck.
- Locate the hornet nest by shining a flashlight with a red filter. Hornets aren’t able to see red light, so use a flashlight with a red filter or cover the light with a sheet of red cellophane and a rubber band. Shine the light in places hornets like to build their nests such as trees, sheds, or in high corners.[18]
- Look along the sides of the building as well. Some hornets like to build nests in walls.
- Hornet nests can create a loud buzzing noise that you can also use to help you locate the nest.
- Spray wasp insecticide at the entrance of the nest for 10 seconds. Look near the bottom of the nest for a wide opening that the hornets use to come and go from the nest. Hold the spray can near the entrance and blast the opening with the insecticide. Continue spraying for a full 10 seconds to make sure the nest is saturated with the insecticide. Then, get away from the area immediately.[19]
- While the wasp and hornet insecticide will effectively kill the hornets, it will take a moment or two, so you need to get out of the area as soon as you’re finished.
- Look for insecticide designed for wasps and hornets such as Ultra Kill Wasp & Hornet Killer and Raid Wasp & Hornet at home improvement stores, your local department store, or by ordering it online.
- Check the nest the next day and spray it again if necessary. Leave the nest alone for a full 24 hours to allow the insecticide to do its thing and eliminate the hornets as well as any eggs or larvae in the nest. Carefully approach the nest the next day and look to see if there are still any hornets active in or around the nest. If there are, blast the nest again with the insecticide for 10 seconds.[20]
- If you’re unsure of whether the nest is active, take a rake and carefully tap the nest to see if it stirs up any hornets.
- Knock down the nest with a rake once the nest is inactive. After 2-3 days, the insecticide should knock out all of the hornets living in the nest, making it safe to remove. Take a long-handled rake and strike the nest at its base, where it’s attached. Put the nest in a garbage bag and seal it tight before disposing of it.[21]
- Wear gloves and protective clothing when you’re knocking down the nest, just to be safe.
- Check for new nests in spring and summer and destroy them. Hornets generally like to set up a new nest in the late spring and early summer, so check under railings, awnings, eaves, overhangs, and structures in your yard such as play equipment or sheds. Listen for a loud buzzing sound coming from any trees or cracks in your walls as well. If you see a small nest of just a few egg cells, use a rake to knock it off and step on it to destroy it.[22]
- Don’t step on a hornet’s nest with bare feet, though!
- The best way to keep a giant hornet nest from forming and becoming a nuisance is to remove it before it gets a chance to develop.
[Edit]Tips
- Keep sources of food away from the area and hornets are less likely to want to build a nest.
- If you do see a hornet around you, avoid trying to swat at it, which may agitate it and cause it to sting you. Instead, remain calm and leave the area.[23]
- If you’re stung by a hornet, wash the area with soap and water and apply ice to reduce swelling. Avoid scratching the sting, which can cause swelling and potentially cause an infection.[24]
[Edit]Warning
- Never try to eradicate a hornet nest if you’re allergic to their sting. Instead, call a licensed exterminator.
[Edit]References
- ↑ http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/pcbees.htm
- ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/homemade-wasp-trap/
- ↑ https://control-mosquitoes.com/keeping-wasps-and-hornets-away-from-the-house/
- ↑ https://control-mosquitoes.com/keeping-wasps-and-hornets-away-from-the-house/
- ↑ https://www.scienceworld.ca/stories/do-fake-wasp-nests-fool-wasps/
- ↑ https://barrie.wbu.com/problem-solving-wasps
- ↑ https://control-mosquitoes.com/keeping-wasps-and-hornets-away-from-the-house/
- ↑ https://extension.psu.edu/tree-fruit-insect-pests-yellow-jackets-and-hornets
- ↑ https://extension.unh.edu/resources/files/resource000532_rep554.pdf
- ↑ https://extension.unh.edu/resources/files/resource000532_rep554.pdf
- ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/insects/beeswasphornets.html
- ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/insects/beeswasphornets.html
- ↑ https://sciencing.com/types-wasps-very-aggressive-8587648.html
- ↑ https://extension.unh.edu/resource/controlling-wasps-bees-and-hornets-around-your-home-fact-sheet-0
- ↑ https://getridofthings.com/get-rid-of-hornets/
- ↑ https://aces.nmsu.edu/ces/yard/2000/062400.html
- ↑ https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/getting_rid_of_wasps_nests
- ↑ http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/pcbees.htm
- ↑ https://aces.nmsu.edu/ces/yard/2000/062400.html
- ↑ https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/getting_rid_of_wasps_nests
- ↑ https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/getting_rid_of_wasps_nests
- ↑ https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/getting_rid_of_wasps_nests
- ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/insects/beeswasphornets.html
- ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/insects/beeswasphornets.html
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