The hornet, a specific type of wasp, tends to be more aggressive and territorial than other bee species. Should these pests decide to make your property their “territory” and build their nests on it, they can end up stinging anyone in your family—even your pets.
Effective hornet prevention is mostly a matter of knowing where hornets prefer to nest and eliminating those spaces from in and around your home. When you need to prevent or remove a hornet infestation, Ready Pest Control can do the job.
While most wasp nests are structured like a honeycomb, you can’t always see that honeycomb structure in a hornet nest. Hornets tend to enclose their nests in a papery wood pulp shell, with just one opening for the entrance and exit. Hornet nests also tend to be much bigger than wasp nests, often holding hundreds of worker hornets.
Hornet nests are shaped like a teardrop and are about the size of a basketball. They usually hang freely under the branches of trees or the edges of roofs, but some hornets nest underground, building their homes in holes left behind by the activity of humans or other creatures. Knowing where hornets are most likely to build their nests can help you determine which parts of your property you should be watching and securing to prevent an infestation.
Like most pests, hornets mainly want three things out of any place they choose to call home: shelter from the elements and predators, a dependable food source, and an equally dependable water source. The main goal of hornet prevention is to make sure hornets don’t have easy access to any of these things.
Once hornets build their nest, you have an infestation on your hands. By sealing any gaps in your property’s infrastructure and securing windows and doors, though, you can prevent hornets from entering in the first place. Keeping a clean yard to prevent hornets from nesting underground or in leaf piles is also important. Hornet traps and fake hornet nests can also help dissuade these territorial nuisances from taking up residence on your property.
Hornets mostly eat tree sap, leaves, and small bugs like aphids—but they also enjoy the juices from fruits and other rotting foods commonly found in compost piles. Covering compost and trash bins is one of the most important ways to reduce the risk of attracting hornets to your property.
Puddles and other damp places attract hornets. Cleaning outdoor water features (think birdbaths) and preventing indoor spaces such as the corners of attics and basements from getting damp is vital to prevent hornets from nesting. Regularly cleaning your pet’s food and water bowls can also help keep hornets away during the warm summer months.
When you are dealing with a hornet problem in or around your home, seasoned pest control specialists with experience handling all types of infestations are ready to protect you and your family.
At Ready Pest Control, we can help you take back your home from the nuisances that have invaded it. Call today to learn more about our hornet prevention services.
