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Learning Center

Stinging Hornets

Learn More About Stinging Hornets

Hornets are wasps, closely related to and resembling yellow jackets. These social insects construct hives by chewing wood into a papery construction pulp. Hornets are often considered pests, particularly when they nest near humans because they will defend a nest aggressively if they feel it is threatened. Avoid the sting by contacting us today for expert bee control services!

Pest Identification

Size

1/2 in.

Color

Body Structure

Head, thorax, and winged abdomen.

Characteristics

Hornets are social insects, living in colonies. Queens in the colony lay eggs in the spring, building a paper comb around each individual egg. Eventually these larvae hatch into worker hornets, whose purpose is to find food, build the nest, and protect newly-hatched young. A nest may contain upwards of 500-700 workers at any given time. Males in the nest will fertilize new female queens, who then leave the nest that fall to begin new colonies.

Habitat & Behavior

Hornets build large paper nests constructed from saliva and wood pulp that often are found hanging from tree limbs, shrubs, or eaves/rafters of buildings. Nests can sometimes grow up to 2 feet in length, depending on the size of the colony. Hornets are extremely aggressive and will attack any intruder that comes near the nest.

Commonly Active

Spring / Summer / Fall

Prevention & Treatment

As noted, hornets are extremely aggressive and will sting any human or animal that gets too close to the nest. For this reason, a pest control professional should always be consulted if a hornet’s nest is spotted near your home.

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