Have you been hearing a low buzzing around your home? If so, you're most likely dealing with hornets who have taken up residence near your house or even on your house. Hornets don't choose nesting sites at random. Your home, yard, or habits could be drawing them in and here's what you need to know:
European hornets specifically prefer dark, enclosed environments for nesting. Hollow trees, walls, and attics all pose suitable conditions for this type of hornet. Queens emerge in the late Spring and begin immediately looking for cavities, gaps, or cracks to construct their paper nest. If your home has any unsealed openings, it's a candidate.
The European hornet is closely associated with forested areas and properties with larger or mature trees. These insects prefer to nest in the hollows of these trees, specifically in older wood. Hornets are predators too, hunting other insects like grasshoppers, flies, and much more to feed their larvae. If your yard has high insect activity, give EcoShield a call.
Uniquely active at night and strongly attracted to light, if you've ever heard a large insect banging against your window screen or porch after dark, there's a high likelihood it was a European hornet. Porch lights not only attract these hornets but bring them closer to your home over time, attracting other bugs along the way.
Disturbing a hornet nest without proper equipment and training is dangerous. Spraying a nest without treatment at the right time can scatter the colony and make your situation significantly worse. There are a few simple steps you can take in the meantime to reduce activity near your home:
Turn exterior lights off, or switch to warm bulbs to reduce nighttime attraction
When eating outside, pick up fallen fruit, leave trash cans sealed, and avoid leaving food or drinks uncovered outside
When it comes to treating the nest itself and keeping hornets away for good, EcoShield's professional treatment is the most reliable solution.
By nature, European hornets are not aggressive, but they will defend their nests. When threatened, these insects mobilize quickly and can sting repeatedly. This makes a disturbed colony particularly dangerous, especially for those with a known allergy to insect venom.
Hornets nesting inside walls carry additional risk, potentially chewing through interior walls to escape and entering your living space. Abandoned or old colonies left untreated can also decompose, attract secondary pests, and create unpleasant odors.
If you have a hornet nest near your home, do not hesitate. The longer a colony is left untreated, the larger it will grow. EcoShield's professional technicians are trained to safely locate, treat, and eliminate existing and future hornet colonies.
The most common hornet found near homes in the United States is the European hornet (Vespa crabro). These insects are large, growing about an inch long, sporting yellow and brown stripes.
Are Bald Faced Hornets, Actually a Hornet?
Despite the name "bald-faced hornet", this insect is technically a relative of the yellowjacket, rather than a true hornet. Earning its name through its size, aggression, and large nests, this is one of the most common stinging pests found throughout North America.
Bald-faced hornets are black with distinctive white markings, making them easy to distinguish from the yellower European hornet.
Bald-faced hornets are considered dangerous. They are highly territorial, fiercely protective of their nests, and capable of stinging repeatedly. While they generally leave people alone if unprovoked, accidentally getting too close can trigger a swift and aggressive swarm. If you suspect a hornets nest is in, or around your home, please call us immediately for fast service.
Not sure what type of hornet you're dealing with? Let our experts take a look. Give us a call or fill out the form on this page to receive a free, no-obligation estimate. We'll identify the problem and recommend the best solution to keep your family and home protected.