How to Get Rid of Hornets Safely All by Yourself

Though hornets are considered beneficial insects, they can be quite annoying or even dangerous if they start invading your home. Of course, you don’t have some hornets flying over your head while you’re enjoying your relaxing afternoon tea time.

How to Get Rid of Hornets

If you are brave enough, you can get rid of those hornets all by yourself without any need to call a pro which will save your money. All you need to have in your hands are some insecticides and some protective supplies.

Check out our quick tutorial on How to Get Rid of Hornets that you can follow easily.

How to Get Rid of Hornets

How to Get Rid of Hornets

Find the nest

When you frequently see the hornets fly around your home, they most likely build their nest nearby. They mostly build their nest in the covered locations like under the shed, crevices in the building, and tree shrubs. You can start by inspecting those spots first to find their nests.

The shape of hornet’s nests looks like an upside-down water drop which is distinctive from the other similar species like bees and wasps. It usually has a hole at its bottom which works for their entrance. The large nest can occupy more than 1,000 hornets inside.

Spray the insecticide

Hornets stay inside their nests when the sun goes down, making it the right time to execute the removal step. They tend to be less active so they are less likely to attack you.

However, you still need to protect yourself with some protective gear like a long-sleeved shirt, long pants, hat, eye goggles, face mask, socks, and shoes. They should be enough to protect you in case the hornets attack you.

Find a commercial insecticide with flying insect spray or long-distance features in its label which will allow you to use it from distance. Avoid spraying the insecticide on windy days since the chemical might blow right to your face and irritate you.

Carefully remove the nest

Once you have sprayed the insecticide, you need to remove the nest completely from where it’s built. This step needs to be executed carefully.

Leave the insecticide for several hours or overnight after you spray the nest to ensure that the hornets are completely killed. If you still see some hornets around the nest, you need to spray them until nothing is left.

Use a long pole or a broomstick to dislodge the hornet nest from where it’s hung. You might want to let someone hold a trash bag underneath the nest so it will fall directly into it and you can throw it away directly.

Keep in mind that the nest has been soaked in insecticide which can be harmful to beneficial insects, so always dispose of it properly.

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If you prefer to use a more environmentally friendly way to get rid of those hornets which don’t involve any chemicals, you can use create a DIY trap by using a soda bottle. Here’s what you can do:

Prepare these supplies:

  • 2-liter soda bottle
  • Scissors or utility knife
  • Baits like ripe fruits or canned cat food
  • Tape

Follow these steps:

  • Cut the top part of the bottle just above its label.
  • Place the baits at the bottom of the bottle.
  • Put the top part of the bottle in the upside-down position so it resembles a funnel that will draw the hornets inside the bottle.
  • Use tape to secure the top edges together.
  • When you successfully trap some hornets, dispose of them in outdoor trash or you can put them in a freezer overnight (hornets can get killed by coldness quickly).

How to Prevent Hornets from Coming Back Around

Now you have removed the hornets’ nest that you have successfully found around your house, but, in most cases, other hornets may still come and build a new nest. That’s why it’s also important for you to execute some preventive actions to prevent the hornets from coming to your house.

Close off any gaps

The tiny cracks around your house are the most favorite entries for hornets. They will break into your house through those cracks and crevices. That’s why the first thing that you have to do is to seal the gaps around your house (particularly the exterior walls) and close the windows when it’s not necessary.

Clean and cover garbage cans properly

Your garbage cans can be an attractive food source for those hornets, so you need to clean them up regularly and cover them properly. The smell of your garbage can spread widely especially in the summer when hornets are most active.

You can rinse your garbage cans at least every week to eliminate the smell that may attract the hornets. Keep the can tightly covered so the smell won’t pollute the air.

Maintain your landscaping

Those flowers may look beautiful to decorating your garden but if you happen to live in an area with nearby hornets’ habitats, you need to keep it neat. You can’t let them overgrown or you will see how those hornets invade your outdoor living space in no time.

If possible, avoid planting flowers around the area with high traffic or close to the dining spot since the hornets or other harmful insects may fly around.

So those are the steps that you can execute to get rid of the hornets in your home. You can do the job in no time without costing you a lot.

However, if you are too afraid or have an allergic reaction to an insect sting, you might need to call in a professional. As mentioned before, though hornets may not as aggressive as wasps or bees, there’s no guarantee that they won’t attack you when they feel annoyed or threatened.

Those pros will, of course, get the job done effectively and safely using sophisticated tools. Some of them even offer further treatment to prevent the hornets from coming around. You might need to spend some budget but you can solve the hornets’ problem without hassles.

(Image source: depositphotos.com)

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