Hornet Control: How to Get Rid of Hornets

Hornets are a subspecies of wasps and one of the larger-sized varieties of the stinging insect, reaching up to 5.5 cm (2.2 inches) in length. Hornets are among the most dangerous and feared pests by homeowners when they are seen flying around the yard or, even worse, setting up a nest beside your home or a tree in your yard.

Hornets are notorious for their tendency to be aggressive and deliver a painful and irritating sting to anyone who may disturb them or intrude upon their nest. If you're allergic, a Hornet sting can be life-threatening. 

A troublesome characteristic of hornets is that, unlike bees, they can and will sting a person an unlimited number of times. What makes it worse is that when hornets sting, they release pheromones into the air, which sends a message to other hornets to join in and sting the same victim as well!

If hornets have set up a nest in your yard or are frequenting your property, you need to get on the attack before they attack you. Our DIY hornet treatment guide maps out the best techniques and methods to kill hornets and destroy their nest quickly and affordably while keeping you safe. By following our step-by-step directions and applying our recommended products, we guarantee you will eliminate hornets from your yard for good.

Identification

Before proceeding with chemical applications, ensure that the pest you are encountering is actually a hornet. Misidentification can lead to buying the wrong products and applying the wrong treatment techniques, costing you money and time. Here are some characteristics you should watch out for to help you with proper identification:

• There are two kinds of hornets that are commonly encountered: the European hornet, which, as the name suggests, is primarily found in Europe, and the bald-faced Hornet, which is native to North America.
• Bald-faced hornets have white marks on their heads and thorax and build nests covered in a papery shell.
• European hornets are brown-colored with orange marks and make their nests in tree stumps or a secluded area in a building. 
• Bald-faced Hornets are more closely related to yellow jackets. No matter the case, folks have been accustomed to calling this stinging pest a hornet.
• The difference between the yellow jacket and a bald-faced hornet (aside from the differences in size, color, and hunting strategy) is that a bald-faced hornet prefers to nest in aerial settings, such as a tree or an outdoor corner of a house, compared to a yellow jacket, which mainly establishes nests underground.

Use the description and image above to help you identify hornets on your property. If you are having trouble, reach out to us, and one of our pest control experts will help you properly ID the pest and offer product recommendations for control. 

Inspection

After correctly identifying hornets on your property, you can inspect the hornet nest, observe its setup, and whether there is more than one point of entry into the nest. It'd be wise to be well covered when inspecting for hornets as they are territorial, and if you get too close to a nest, they will aggressively try to sting you.

Where To Inspect

Scan around your yard and around the exterior perimeter of your home for hornet activity and possible nesting sites. Hornet nests are typically found in sheltered locations, like leafy trees, under eaves and roofing, attics, or windows.

What To Look For

It would be best to look for active hornets and any visible nests. If you find one, observe where it flies; before long, they should reveal where they are nesting. It is usually hard to miss a Hornet’s nest. It has a football shape; some are found free-hanging, and others are attached to a larger object like a wall or a tree branch. 

Once you have located their nesting area, you can proceed to treatment.

Treatment

Before tackling a hornet treatment application, make sure you have on the proper gear: thick, long-sleeved clothes or, to ensure possible safety, a professional bee suit.

Cover up as much exposed skin as possible to prevent stings and overexposure to chemical pesticides that will be sprayed to control hornets and their nests. It is also best to time your spraying at night when wasps are usually inside their nests and resting.

To get rid of Hornets, we recommend applying Stryker Wasp and Hornet Killer directly to Hornet's nests to knock down the nest and kill any live Hornets inside the nest. You can then apply Sylo Insecticide and D-fense Dust around your home and yard to discourage re-nesting.

Step 1: Treat the Nest Directly with Stryker Wasp and Hornet Killer

If you find a hornet's nest above ground, apply Stryker Wasp and Hornet Killer directly to the nest.

Stryker Wasp and Hornet Killer will reach up to 20 feet away and provide instant knockdown and a quick kill of any hornets that fly out and are in attack mode. We recommend applying Stryker Wasp and Hornet Killer to eliminate a hornet nest. 

To use Stryker Wasp and Hornet Killer, wait until the evening or when it gets dark to apply, as this is when all the Hornets are inside the nest.

Simply shake, point, and spray. Spray directly at the nest entrance for 6 to 8 seconds. Drench the whole nest and kill any escaping hornets so they are knocked down upon contact.

Step 2: Apply Sylo Insecticide

Sylo Insecticide is a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide that contains the active ingredient Cypermethrin. It is effective in killing and deterring insects that hornets eat and will prevent Hornets from establishing nests on your property.

First, measure the square footage of your lawn to determine how much Sylo you will need.

Sylo is to be applied at a 0.1% emulsion, which is 0.5 fluid ounces of Sylo per 1 gallon of water to cover 1,000 square feet. For ease of use, we recommend using a 1-gallon hand pump sprayer.

To mix Sylo, first, fill your sprayer halfway with water. Add half the amount of water, then the proper amount of Sylo, and then fill the sprayer with the remaining water to the 1-gallon line. Close the sprayer and shake to ensure an even emulsion.

Apply the solution as a barrier treatment around your home and other structures. Spray 3 feet up the wall and at least 6 feet out on the ground to create the barrier. Also, treat eaves and common entry points around the home or structure, such as windows, doors, utility openings, weep holes, and other voids.

Once applied, any flying hornets in your yard that come into contact with this solution will approximately die within 20 minutes.  

Step 3: Treat Voids with D-Fense Dust

D-Fense Dust is a waterproof deltamethrin dust that can successfully control many insects that hornets like to target as a food source.

Apply the dust in holes and voids around the home to discourage hornets from landing and exploring such areas.

It is best to use a handheld pesticide duster to treat these holes and nest areas, as this will ensure precision in getting the dust where it needs to go.

Add D-Fense Dust to a duster at a rate of 2 to 3 grams per square yard or 0.5 lbs per 1,000 sq. ft.

Lightly squeeze the duster to puff dust directly into voids around the property, such as weep holes or cracks and crevices along eaves.

Prevention

After applying treatment, you should have no more hornets on your property, but that doesn't mean they won't come back. Hornets are a stricter type of flying pest to prevent because they are such random colonizers. Some other helpful things you can do to discourage hornets from choosing your yard to nest is to:

• Trim back trees and bushes.
• Paint or repaint walls, eaves, or other possible nesting areas.
• Spray Sylo insecticide around the perimeter of your home every 90 days as a barrier treatment.

Key Takeaways

What are Hornets?

• Hornets are one of the larger wasp species. They are very aggressive and territorial, and they are notorious for building nests in the most outlandish places.
• Like wasps and bees, hornets are social insects that like to live in their colonies. They only become aggressive when they need to defend their territory.

How To Get Rid of Hornets In Your Yard

• Our top recommendations for treating Hornets are to locate the nest, spray Stryker Wasp and Hornet Killer directly to the nest, and kill any escaping Hornets.
• Be well-covered when treating hornets, as they will be looking to sting you for attacking their home.
• After knocking down the nest, spray Sylo Insecticide around your home to discourage Hornets from making new nests.

Preventing Hornet Reinfestation

• Hornet prevention will involve a combination of environmental modification methods, such as trimming back tree branches, reducing leaf litter, and periodic applications of Sylo Insecticide as a barrier treatment around your home.