Wasps and hornets can really spoil your time in the garden, especially when the larger of these insects decide to build a nest on your property. This is a particularly dangerous situation for allergy sufferers, for whom hornet venom can be fatal. We will show you how to eliminate a hornet’s nest easily and effectively and what to do to minimise the risk of a nest appearing in your garden.

Characteristics and appearance of hornets

The European hornet is the largest of the bees, with a body length of up to 35 mm for the queen, 20-23 mm for the male and 17-24 mm for the workers. It is much larger than a wasp and its flight is much louder. The typical form for the area of Poland has a black body with red spots and a yellow abdomen with black stripes.

It is found in temperate climates in Europe and Asia (as far as Japan) and has been introduced to North America, where it has become widespread in Canada and the United States.

It prefers to build nests in forest areas in tree hollows, especially oak trees, and can live in abandoned beehives, burrows in the ground, and even coexist in nesting boxes with birds. Due to the reduction of forest areas, it has adapted to living near humans, which is why it sometimes builds a nest under a roof overhang, in gazebos or holes in walls.

A hornet sting is more painful because the stinger is longer and penetrates deeper, and the venom contains a higher level of acetylcholine. For this reason, the pain is more severe, but it is not immediately life-threatening for people who are not allergic to hymenoptera venom. Hornets also sting less frequently than wasps, are less aggressive and also more difficult to provoke. It is estimated that they only sting 1/10 of a swarm (numbering several hundred insects), and to reach a lethal dose of venom, we would have to be stung several hundred times, which is rather impossible. However, the severe burning sensation, large size and loud sound they make when flying make us more afraid of hornet bites than wasp stings.

Hornet life cycle

In early spring, female hornets that were fertilised the previous year begin to build a nest. They use a paper-like mass made of chewed wood particles and saliva for this purpose. In the centre of the hornet’s nest, they create spots with downward-facing cells in which they place their eggs. A hornet’s nest can be up to 50 cm long and wide. The female first lays several eggs in the first cells, from which larvae emerge. The worker hornets are fed with the sap of fruit and animals, mainly insects. The larvae quickly pupate into adult workers and from then on look after and expand the nest, feeding the young larvae while the queen only lays eggs. The last to hatch are the fertile females, who will become queens in the future, and the fertile males. Males differ from females in that they have no stinger and have longer antennae, although they resemble workers in body size.

The role of hornets in nature

The role of hornets in the economy is difficult to determine because it is ambiguous. On the one hand, hornets, like wasps, pollinate flowers, thus contributing to the development and setting of fruit, and they also regulate the population of other insects, such as flies, which are considered a nuisance by humans. On the other hand, they can also destroy crops and cause damage in forestry and fruit growing by eating fruits and young shoots of plants to extract juices with a high carbohydrate content, which they feed to their young larvae. They also kill bees and other beneficial insects with their venom.

What should you do if you are stung by a hornet?

Wasp and hornet stings are particularly dangerous for allergy sufferers because they can cause anaphylactic shock, especially if the sting is on the neck or near the lymph nodes. Allergy sufferers should go to the hospital immediately or call an ambulance. If the bite happens to healthy people, pain can be relieved with proven methods.

Home remedies for bites

• Baking soda compresses
• Vinegar compresses
• Applying sliced onion to the affected area
• Applying ice

Pharmacies also sell over-the-counter ointments containing hydrocortisone or popular gels that relieve itching after a bite.

How to safely remove a hornet’s nest

Firstly, it is a good idea to locate the hornets’ nest. This way, you can avoid accidentally encountering the insects, which can often enrage them. If there are large trees on the property, it is worth checking all the old hollows. Hornets also often nest in holes and burrows in the ground or in openings in the facade of a house or outbuilding. Once you have found the nest, we advise you not to remove it yourself, and especially not to use home remedies, which are often ineffective and can only expose the property owner to painful bites. In this case, it is best to call a specialised pest control company that will remove the hornet’s nest quickly and safely without causing any pain to the garden owner.