Bald-Faced Hornets: DIY Removal and Prevention Guide

Understand bald faced hornets

Bald faced hornets, despite their name, aren’t true hornets but a type of aerial yellow jacket wasp. These aggressive insects are easy to identify by their black bodies and distinctive white markings on their face and abdomen. They build large, gray, paper like nests typically hang from tree branches, eaves, or other elevated structures.

These social wasps live in colonies that can contain 400 700 workers by late summer. Unlike honeybees, bald faced hornets don’t die after sting, make them peculiarly dangerous when disturbed. They’re territorial and will sharply will defend their nests, oftentimes sting multiple times.

Why DIY removal require caution

Before attempt any DIY removal of bald faced hornets, understand the risks involve:

• Bald faced hornets are extremely aggressive when their nest is threatened
• They can sting multiple times, unlike honeybees
• Their venom can cause severe allergic reactions in sensitive individuals
• They attack in groups when their nest is disturbed
• Their nests can be located in hard to reach places

If you’ve known allergies to insect stings or the nest is in a difficult location, consider hire a professional pest control service alternatively of attempt removal yourself.

Essential safety precautions

If you decide to proceed with DIY removal, safety must be your priority:

Protective clothing

Wear multiple layers of clothing that cover your entire body:

Source: pestsamurai.com

• Longsighted sleeve shirt and long pants (light colors are preferable as hornets are aattractedto dark color))
• Thick gloves that extend past your wrists
• Boots that cover your ankles
• A beekeeper’s hat with veil or a mosquito head net
• Secure all openings where hornets could enter your clothing (tuck pants into socks, shirt into pants, etc. )

Timing and planning

• Plan to remove the nest at night when hornets are less active and most are inside the nest
• Use red filter flashlights as hornets can’t see red light fountainhead
• Have an escape route plan in case of emergency
• Inform someone about what you’re done and when
• Keep children and pets outside from the area

DIY methods for bald faced hornet removal

Method 1: commercial wasp spray

The near common and effective DIY approach is use commercial wasp and hornet spray:

What you will need:

• Commercial wasp and hornet spray (look for products specifically label for hornets with a shooting range of 15 20 feet )
• Protective clothing as describe above
• Red filter flashlight
• Plastic garbage bag (heavy duty )
• Long pole or broom handle (optional, for knock down the nest after treatment )

Step-by-step process:

1. Wait until after sunset when most hornets have returned to the nest
2. Put on all protective clothing
3. Position yourself at a safe distance from the nest, ideally with an escape route behind you
4. Aim the spray at the entrance of the nest (ordinarily at the bottom )
5. Spray in a steady stream, exhaustively soak the nest
6. Rapidly retreat from the area after spray
7. Return the next day to check for activity
8. If no activity is observed, knock down the nest use a long pole and dispose of it in a seal plastic bag
9. If hornets are inactive active, repeat the process

Method 2: soap and water solution

For those prefer a non-toxic approach, a soap and water solution can be effective:

What you will need:

• Two cups of dish soap
• Water
• Bucket or garden sprayer
• Protective clothing

Step-by-step process:

1. Mix two cups of dish soap with water in a bucket or garden sprayer
2. Wait until nighttime when hornets are less active
3. Wear protective gear, approach the nest cautiously
4. Rapidly douse the entire nest with the soapy water solution
5. The soap break down the waxy coating on the hornets’ exoskeletons, cause them to drown
6. Retreat instantly after application
7. Check the next day and repeat if necessary
8. Remove the nest erstwhile all hornets are dead

This method require closer proximity to the nest than commercial sprays, increase the risk. Solitary attempt if the nest is easily accessib, andnd you can rapidly retreat.

Method 3: nest bag technique

For nests that are hanged from branches and accessible:

What you will need:

• Large, heavy-duty garbage bag
• Duct tape
• Sharp prune shears or see
• Protective clothing

Step-by-step process:

1. Wait until night when hornets are inactive
2. Cautiously and quiet approach the nest with the open garbage bag
3. In one quick motion, enclose the entire nest in the bag, pull it upwardly to capture the nest
4. Rapidly seal the bag around the branch with duct tape
5. Cut the branch above where you’ve sealed the bag
6. Instantly place the sealed bag with the nest inside another garbage bag and seal it
7. Either leave the bag in direct sunlight for several days to kill the hornets or submerge the entire seal bag in a bucket of soapy water nightlong

This method is risky and should solitary be attempted if the nest is small and easy accessible. The slightest mistake can result in hornets escape and attack.

Post removal precautions

After successfully remove a bald faced hornet nest:

• Monitor the area for several days to ensure no hornets return
• Dispose of the nest decently in seal plastic bags
• Clean the area where the nest was attached to remove pheromones that might attract future colonies
• Treat any stings instantly with ice, antihistamines, and pain relievers
• Seek medical attention if you experience severe swelling, difficulty breathing, or other signs of allergic reaction

Prevention strategies

Prevent bald faced hornets from establish nests on your property is easier and safer than removal:

Regular inspection

Conduct regular inspections of your property, specially during spring and early summer when queens are established new nests. Focus on:

• Tree branches
• Eaves and overhangs
• Utility poles
• Playground equipment
• Sheds and outbuildings

Early detection when nests are small make removal often easier and safer.

Habitat modification

• Seal cracks and crevices in buildings where queens might overwinter
• Keep garbage cans tightly seal
• Remove food sources that attract hornets, include fallen fruit
• Trim vegetation outside from structures
• Reduce stand water sources

Natural deterrents

Some natural approaches may help deter hornets from nesting:

• Plant natural repellents like mint, citronella, eucalyptus, and wormwood around your property
• Use essential oils like peppermint, clove, geranium, or lemongrass dilute with water as a spray around potential nesting sites
• Hang fake nests (available commercially or dDIYwith brown paper bags )as hornets are territorial and avoid build near other colonies

When to call professionals

Despite the DIY methods describe, there be situations when professional pest control services are the safer option:

• If the nest is rattling large (basketball sized or larger )
• If the nest is in a difficult to reach location (heights in trees, inside wall voids )
• If you or family members have known allergies to insect stings
• If previous removal attempts to have fail
• If the nest is near high traffic areas where complete evacuation during treatment isn’t possible
• If you’re dealt with multiple nests

Professional pest control services have specialized equipment, protective gear, and insecticides not available to consumers. They besides carry liability insurance and guarantee their work.

Identify a bald faced hornet infestation

To efficaciously address a bald faced hornet problem, you need to right identify these insects and their nests:

Physical characteristics

• Size: workers are typically 1/2 to 3/4 inch longsighted; queens are larger
• Color: preponderantly black with distinctive white markings on face and abdomen
• Shape: smooth bodied with a constricted waist

Nest identification

• Appearance: gray, papery, enclose oval or football shape structures
• Size: can grow to 14 + inches long and 23 + inches in circumference by late summer
• Location: ordinarily hang from tree branches, eaves, or other elevated structures
• Entrance: single opening, typically at the bottom of the nest

Behavior signs

• Increase hornet activity around a specific area
• Hornets fly in and out of the same location
• Aggressive behavior when approach certain areas of your property
• Chew sound from inside walls or hollow trees (if the nest is build inside a cavity )

Treat bald faced hornet stings

If you’re sting while attempt removal:

1. Move outside from the nest area instantly
2. Remove the stinger if it’s leave in the skin (though bald faced hornets typically don’t leave stingers behindhand )
3. Wash the area with soap and water
4. Apply ice wrap in a cloth to reduce swell
5. Take an antihistamine to reduce itching and swell
6. Use over the counter pain relievers for discomfort
7. Apply hydrocortisone cream to reduce inflammation

Seek immediate medical attention if you experience:

• Difficulty breathing
• Swell of the face, throat, or mouth
• Rapid heartbeat
• Dizziness or confusion
• Nausea or vomit
• Multiple stings, specially for children or elderly individuals

Environmental considerations

While bald faced hornets can be dangerous and their nests problematic when near human habitation, they do play beneficial roles in the ecosystem:

Source: pestsamurai.com

• They help control pest insect populations, include flies and caterpillars
• They serve as pollinators for some plants
• They’re part of the food chain for birds and other wildlife

If a nest is located far from human activity areas and doesn’t pose a risk, consider leave it solitary. Bald faced hornet colonies die off course in late fall, with solitary fertilized queens survive to start new colonies the follow spring.

Conclusion

Remove bald faced hornet nests require careful planning, appropriate safety measures, and respect for these territorial insects. While DIY removal is possible for small, accessible nests, ne’er underestimate the risks involve. Invariably prioritize safety over cost savings, and don’t hesitate to call professional pest control services when face with large nests or difficult situations.

By understand bald faced hornet behavior and implement preventive measures, you can reduce the likelihood of these insects establish colonies near your home. Regular property inspections, specially in spring and early summer, can help you catch new nests when they’re small and easier to remove safely.

Remember that while bald faced hornets can be dangerous when their nests are threatened, they too provide ecological benefits by control other insect populations. The goal should be coexistence at a safe distance instead than eradication.