How to deal with hornets

Tools

• ✓
  jet-stream wasp spray (long range)

  Spectracide PRO or similar — 25+ ft range. Foam will not work.
• ✓
  flashlight with red filter

  For nighttime visibility without triggering aggression.

Materials

• +
  TERRO Wasp & Hornet Killer

  Foaming jet, 20 ft range. Foam seals the entrance and prevents escape.
• +
  Spectracide PRO Wasp & Hornet Killer

  Strong jet, 27 ft range. Use one or the other, not both.
• +
  full coverage clothing

  Long sleeves, pants tucked into boots, gloves, neck gaiter or scarf, hat, and ideally a beekeeping veil if you have one.

Steps

1. 1

   Confirm species and nest location

   Bald-faced hornets are 3/4-inch, black with white markings, nesting in football-shaped paper enclosures hanging from trees, bushes, or eaves. European hornets are larger, brown-and-yellow, often nest in hollow trees or wall cavities.

2. 2

   Stop here if the nest is bigger than a softball, above 8 feet, or in a wall

   Call a pest control operator. Most will price hornet removal at $150–350 with a guarantee. Many do same-day service for stinging insects.

3. 3

   If proceeding DIY: wait until full dark

   Hornets are dormant after dark. Treatment between 10pm and dawn is dramatically safer than dusk treatment for wasps.

4. 4

   Approach from below with a planned retreat

   Stand 20+ feet back. Plan the path you'll walk after spraying. Have a backup retreat. Do not stand under the nest.

5. 5

   Sustained foam or jet into the entrance

   Spray a sustained 15-second burst into the entrance opening at the bottom of the nest. Foam is preferred because it physically blocks the entrance and seals hornets inside.

6. 6

   Retreat and stay indoors until morning

   Do not return to the nest. Do not check progress with a flashlight. Stay inside until full daylight.

7. 7

   Inspect at full daylight and re-treat if needed

   If any activity remains, re-treat the next night. Knock down the nest only after 48 hours with zero activity.