In Star, residents are used to hearing about “stinging insects.” These insects can include wasps, yellow jackets, and hornets. Though hornets have some similarities to wasps and yellow jackets, they are normally larger and more robust. Hornet stings can be fatal, however hornets are likely not going to sting you unless they feel like their colony is being threatened.
Hornets normally like to build their colony in tree branches, shrubs or underneath eaves. This means they could easily take shelter around your home, or at places like Star Riverwalk Park or the Mid Star Firearms! Hornets are also attracted to food scraps and eating areas, which could potentially bother you and your loved ones if you’re trying to have some fun in the sun! Hornet infestations can feel intimidating, so you can rely on us, Get Lost Pest Control to be your Star hornet exterminator!
Identification:
- Hornets are normally light yellow or white and black in color
- Hornets have a thin waist between the thorax and the abdomen, and can be similar in appearance to yellow jackets
- Hornets are the largest of eusocial wasps, and can reach up to 5.5 cm in length.
Dangers:
One of the biggest dangers of hornets is their sting. Though the chance of getting stung by a hornet is relatively small, when they do sting it can be fatal. Hornet stings are more dangerous in comparison to other stinging insects simply because of their size. We recommend not agitating or bothering hornets for this reason.
Prevention:
It is important to clean up any leftover food or waste that may be laying around your property. It is also important to make sure that your trash cans around your property are secure, along with any pet food or bags. For a more proactive prevention, it can also potentially work to plant citronella, thyme, or eucalyptus around the outside of your house.
Treatment:
Removing hornets from your property on your own can be difficult and if attempted, should be done while you are wearing fully covering clothing – the thicker the better. You should also make sure to not shine a light or flashlight at them, as they will attack it due to lack of visibility. To trap their nest, you would want to use a thick garbage sack after using a tool like pruning shears to cut it. Be prepared to be able to cover your eyes and face as much as possible after you cut and trap the nest. You will also want a product that sprays and kills almost on contact to use directly after detaching the nest.
Being your Star hornet exterminator, we don’t recommend doing this on your own, as it can be dangerous and sometimes even fatal. Call our professional technicians at Get Lost Pest Control for help to eliminate the danger of doing the job yourself! Our no-contract programs offer flexibility, without locking you into an expensive service agreement.
