Hornets are important for the environment, as they can pollinate flowers and eat bugs that may otherwise damage plants. However, getting stung by a hornet is a distinctly painful and potentially even dangerous experience. These territorial insects are known to act aggressively toward anything or anyone that approaches their nest. When these nests are hidden or underground, stings may happen without warning and seemingly without provocation.
Identifying the signs of a hornet infestation can help you protect yourself, your family, and your property from getting hurt or damaged down the line. If you are dealing with hornets anywhere on your residential or commercial property, Ready Pest Control can help you resolve the problem quickly and at an affordable price.
The clearest sign you may have an infestation on your hands is the presence of hornets in or around your property. It is important to be able to identify hornets to take the best course of action to remove them. Rather than being a distinct species of flying and stinging insect, hornets are a subspecies of wasps that are slightly larger with different colors and body shapes.
The most common type of hornet seen in the United States is the European hornet, which can be as long as 1.5 inches from end to end. These bugs are usually brown with orange and yellow stripes and have two sets of wings as well as a pinched “waist” at their midsection. You may also spot a bald-faced hornet with a black-and-white patterned head. Sand hornets mainly live underground.
What all hornets have in common is that they will viciously defend their nests from anyone who wanders near or steps on one buried underground. Given how painful a hornet sting can be, any signs of an infestation should be taken seriously.
Hornet nests are larger than the nests most other wasp species make, sometimes getting to be the size of a basketball. Additionally, hornet nests are closed to the outside save for a single opening and are typically covered in a papery-looking white or grey substance. Hornets build these nests to hang underneath tree branches or roofing eaves rather than in corners or small spaces.
Since hornets tend not to wander far from their nests, another sign of a nearby infestation is if you notice these insects flying or crawling around a specific area. Likewise, if you notice damage to furniture, furnishings, and other wooden objects in and around your house, it could be a sign of a nearby hornet infestation. Hornets may have been chewing on the wood and using it to build their nest or feed their larvae.
When you notice signs of a hornet infestation on or around your property, you should not try to get rid of the hornets or destroy their nest by yourself. Hornets are very territorial and will swarm on anyone that disturbs their nest, intentionally or accidentally. Trying to remove a hornet nest without the proper equipment could spur these dangerous pests to attack you and your property.
Ready Pest Control’s team of trained experts has the skills, tools, and practical experience necessary to handle hornet problems of all shapes and sizes. To learn more about how we could help you, call today.
