Hornet Nest Treatment
Guarantee
We guarantee that
- a treated nest will never be used again
- the actual location of the treated nest will not be reused by other hornets for the remainder of the calendar year
What does a hornet look like?
Hornets are 25–35mm long which is double the size of a wasp. They have a reddish brown head and thorax with yellow and black stripes on its abdomen.
Why should a hornet nest be treated?
Hornets will sting readily if they think their nest is in danger but they are generally less aggressive than wasps. However a hornet sting is more painful due to the larger sting and amount of venom.
If you don’t treat a hornet nest it will eventually die out, but before this happens, the nest will produce fertile queens which will hibernate and start nests the following year.
What does a hornet nest look like?
A hornet nest is made of the same paper-like material from chewed wood and saliva as a wasp nest but is larger and more round. They are usually found high up in tree branches or the eaves of buildings.
What preparation must be undertaken prior to treatment?
- No preparation is required before the hornet nest is treated.
- Do not block the entrance hole of the nest as this will make the hornets angry and aggressive. It won’t kill the nest and the hornets will create another entrance.
What aftercare is required after treatment?
After treatment the nest will remain in a hyperactive state for up to 3-hours.
- Keep people and pets away from the area until activity has ceased.
- Close windows and warn neighbours to keep away.
- Hornet activity can continue for up to 2-weeks in the summer and up to 20-days in autumn after the treatment.
A hornet nest will not rot or smell so it’s quite safe and hygienic to leave it where it is. However if you wish to remove it you must wait for at least 4-weeks after treatment. This ensures that no one gets stung by any hornets that have hatched after the queen has died. Also, if the nest is removed immediately after treatment the hornets which were out foraging would find no nest on their return and attempt to rebuild it. When they return and find a treated nest they either get contaminated by the insecticide or exhaust themselves by flying around the nest in a state of panic.
Products we use
The technician will state which insecticide has been used on the report they give you after they have completed the treatment. Click each product to access its safety data sheet. All insecticides are biodegradable, almost odourless, non-tainting and don’t corrode or stain.
Insecticide sprays
Insecticide powder
Insecticide fogging
How does our treatment work?
The entrance to the nest or the nest itself will be treated with an appropriate insecticide.
Products we use
The technician will state which insecticide has been used on the report they give you after they have completed the treatment. Click each product to access its safety data sheet. All insecticides are biodegradable, almost odourless, non-tainting and don’t corrode or stain.
Insecticide sprays
Insecticide powder
Insecticide fogging
More facts about hornets
Is a hornet a wasp?
Yes. Hornets are large, eusocial wasps of the genus Vespa. This includes over 20 recognised species, most of which are native to Asia. There is only one hornet native to the UK which is the European Hornet.
When do hornet nests start?
Hornet nests begin in spring, never later than May. A queen that has overwintered emerges, finds a suitable location and builds the first few cells herself. At this stage the “nest” is a single insect and a golf-ball-sized paper structure. Most hornet nests are only discovered in late summer or early autumn, by which point the nest has grown to the size of a football to support the colony which has been active for months.
How big does a hornet nest get?
The population within a nest at any one time expands to between 200 and 400 by autumn. Colonies turn over constantly as workers die and are replaced, so the season’s cumulative total is far greater.
Do hornet nests survive the winter?
No. The entire nest dies off in autumn. Only mated queens survive the winter, hibernating individually in sheltered spots such as log piles, loft insulation, bark crevices or garden sheds. In spring each surviving queen starts a completely new nest elsewhere.
Products we use
The technician will state which insecticide has been used on the report they give you after they have completed the treatment. Click each product to access its safety data sheet. All insecticides are biodegradable, almost odourless, non-tainting and don’t corrode or stain.
Insecticide sprays
Insecticide powder
Insecticide fogging
Frequently asked questions
When do hornets build their nests?
In spring, never later than May, when overwintering queens emerge from hibernation.
How many hornets are in a nest?
A nest grows from 1 in spring to a maximum of 400 by autumn.
Why do people only notice hornet nests in autumn?
A hornet nest is small and inconspicuous for most of the year. Activity and size peak in late summer and autumn, which is when the nest becomes obvious.
Do hornets come back to the same nest each year?
No. The colony dies in autumn and the nest is never reused. Surviving queens build new nests in new locations.
What happens to hornets in winter?
All workers, drones and the founding queen die. Only mated queens survive, hibernating alone until spring.