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Wasp and bee control for commercial premises.
Key takeaways:
- Hornets are large social wasps with reddish-brown markings and bodies up to two inches.
- They build papery nests in sheltered areas like trees, attics, and wall voids.
- Hornets hunt insects but adults are also drawn to sugary substances.
- They can sting repeatedly and may swarm if their nest is threatened.
- Professional pest control is the safest way to remove a hornet nest.
Hornets are a type of wasp that can be a real nuisance when they set up nests close to where people live, work, or socialize. Known for their painful stings, they can cause business disruption, potentially leading to negative reviews and customers avoiding your business.
This guide goes over some key hornet facts, their habits, and safe ways to deal with them. If you’re currently experiencing hornet problems, get in touch with us to arrange an inspection.
Vespa crabro
European hornet: key characteristics
Appearance
- Large, up to 1.8 inches long.
- Wings are reddish-orange.
- Orange abdomen with brown stripes.
Lifecycle
- Nests are found in the spring.
- Most die off by late autumn.
- Only the fertilized queen overwinters.
Habits
- Nesting – In sheltered places, e.g., tree trunks, bushes, sides of buildings, barns, attics, hollow walls. Their nests are grey and paper-like.
- A colony can reach a size of 700 workers.
- Sting - Only sting when provoked. Sting is painful to humans. They can bite and sting at the same time. They can mobilize the entire nest to sting in defense which is highly dangerous to humans.
- Feeding - Live insects and sap. They are not attracted to human food.
Hornet identification
It’s important to tell hornets apart from other stinging insects. While some wasps and bees may look similar, hornets can be more aggressive and pose different risks. Spotting the difference helps you know when professional help is needed.
What do hornets look like?
Hornets are the largest type of social wasps in the family Vespidae. The key giveaway is that they are usually bigger than other wasps, with some species growing up to two inches long. Their bodies are often brown or reddish with yellow or orange markings, but this depends on the species. The wings can be clear or slightly tinted.
The European hornet (Vespa crabro) is considered the only ‘true’ hornet species in North America. (Other species, like the bald-faced hornet, are technically wasps. The Northern giant hornet appeared in the United States in 2019, but was declared completely eradicated in 2024.
Signs of a hornet infestation
One of the clearest signs of a hornet infestation is their increased presence. Spotting numerous hornets or hearing their collective buzz means there could be a hornet nest nearby. These nests are often made from a papery material created when hornets chew wood and mix it with saliva.
The presence of a hornet’s nest can be alarming: they’re big and loud, but do hornets sting or bite? The answer is both: hornets can bite to hold on and sting multiple times using their stinger, and their sting can be painful. If you’ve spotted one, get in touch.
Habitat, diet, life cycle, and behaviors
Let’s take a look at hornet characteristics like where they build nests, what they eat, and how they behave throughout the year.
Where do hornets live?
Hornets prefer sheltered spots like trees, bushes, barns, hollow trees, wall voids, and building sides. They often use attics or wall gaps inside homes as nest sites. Their nests are built from chewed wood fibers mixed with saliva, giving them a tan, papery appearance with a rough, layered surface. Unlike the smooth, football-shaped nests of some wasps, hornet nests are usually irregular in form and often hidden in cavities. Mature nests may grow to one or two feet across, housing several hundred hornets. Inside, the structure consists of stacked horizontal combs of hexagonal cells, arranged in tiers and surrounded by a protective papery envelope.
Diet
Hornets often feed on insects such as flies, caterpillars, moths, and sometimes honey bees. This prey is used to feed the young in its colonies. Adult hornets more often opt for high-energy, sweet, and sugary substances, like tree sap and fruits.
Life cycle
The hornet life cycle starts when a fertilized queen builds a new nest in spring, laying the first eggs that develop into workers. By summer, the worker population expands, taking over nest building, food gathering, and caring for the new brood, while the queen focuses on egg laying. In late summer to early fall, the colony produces males and new queens. After mating, the males and the old queen die, while fertilized young queens leave to find sheltered places to hibernate and start the cycle again the following spring. Only new queens survive the winter.
Behaviors
These stinging insects are protective of their colony and can call others to attack when threatened. They can use their stinger multiple times, as their sting is not barbed, unlike some species of bees. Hornets do not die after they sting, and while they are pollinators, they don’t play as big a role in pollination as honey bees.
Are hornets dangerous?
Hornet stings are painful and can be dangerous to those with existing medical conditions or those who have been stung multiple times. People with allergic reactions may experience serious health problems after being stung and should seek medical help right away. Even for those without allergies, multiple stings can be a medical concern. Hornets are not typically aggressive, but they will defend their nest fiercely. This means large numbers can attack at once, which makes getting too close risky.
How to get rid of hornets
Trying to get rid of a hornet’s nest yourself is extremely risky. Once they feel threatened, they’re likely to attack in numbers. The most effective way to address a hornet problem is to call us at Presto-X. Our technicians can inspect, identify, and treat hornet colonies to help protect your home or your business.
Hornet prevention tips
To lower the risk of hornets nesting on your property:
- Seal cracks and wall voids where nests could form.
- Keep outdoor trash tightly sealed to avoid attracting other wasps.
- Trim trees and bushes near your home to reduce nesting spots.
- Repair screens and vents to block access to attics and sheds.
Our Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach means we focus on prevention, exclusion, and elimination methods. If hornets do infest your property, our pest control technicians can help remove them.
Need help with wasps and bees?
Hornets are just one type of stinging insect, and infestations can be hard to control without professional pest control. If you’re dealing with true hornets or other wasps, we can help. Presto-X technicians provide proven and tailored solutions to help get rid of wasps, hornets, and bees around your property.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, but not very much. They may collect nectar while feeding, though they are not nearly as effective at pollination as bees.
Hornets can do both. They bite to grab hold of their prey and sting to defend their nest, and they can sting more than once.
Trying to remove a nest on your own is dangerous. It’s safest to call our technicians, who have the tools and training to remove it properly.
No. Unlike bees, hornets can sting many times without dying. This can make them particularly dangerous, and is part of the reason why professional hornet removal is recommended.
Most hornets in the colony die off when cold weather comes. Only new queens survive the winter to start colonies in the spring.