hornet nest

[motownbrowne]

I am a Hornet and Yellow-Jacket removal specialist (it's a side gig after the work day is over). I wear a bee-suit and use a vacuum cleaner to suck them into a trap. I do the service for free and then provide the insects to a couple of labs that use the venom for allergy therapy.

Birds and other critters will definitely tear the nests apart to eat the larva inside the nest. Other than Honeybees, nothing else makes honey, so it's definitely the larva they are after. I've gotten calls to come remove nests, only to show up the next day to find it eaten by raccoons or skunks. Some of those nests may have over 2000 individual insects in them armed with stingers. It'd sure be something to see a coon dig into that!

I've seen some really cool mounts done by taxidermists that include hornet nests. The link above is a good one; simply freezing the nest will kill anything in there. If it smells bad after that, I'd use a razor blade to cut into the side that won't be displayed and remove the comb and rotting larva from inside.

If you find hornet nests or ground nesting yellowjackets, I definitely recommend seeing if there's anyone in your area that will remove them for free like I do. There are many people around the country that offer the service. Calling the beekeeping organization in your area, or the University Extension is a good start. That said, the 12 gauge method is fun too.

 

[wngsprd]

We have gathered three bald faced hornet nests, and used no chemicals and had no odor problem. We waited until after a good freeze to cut it out of the tree. By that point, all the larvae had hatched and the adults were gone, or dead. Shook out some dead adults, and were ready to use. Last year's nest was too high to reach, so enjoyed seeing it in the top of a sugar maple all winter.

This year's yellow jacket nest is biggest we've ever found - about 7 inch wide hole in my clover plot, and at least 8 inches deep. It is totally open now, since a critter tore open the top, but the yellow jackets rebuilt a layer of nest, and are still using it. It's far enough from the house to leave it alone, and they aren't coming up to the hummingbird feeders like the ones last year.

 

[oosik]

About eight year ago I got to close to a bald-faced hornet nest while mowing. I had no idea that I could motate that fast!! The one that did land on me chewed a small hole in my neck rather than stinging. The nest was only about six inches in diameter. These hornets will kill and eat yellow jackets that come to the humming bird feeder. I've moved the feeder out to a maple tree away from the porch. The hornets will sit on a branch of the maple tree and wait for the yellow jackets to arrive. I've never seen such aggressive insects.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

I have posted this before on a couple of websites, and I may have posted it here, but I will post it again because this seems to be an appropriate time. Here's my story:

My Dad lived with us the last couple years of his life, and he was always coming up with something interesting. One day I was mowing the yard, and the Rose of Sharon was in full bloom. I somehow managed to mow close enough to it to knock some blooms off of it; one of which landed in my lap. I brushed it off, but not before a bumble bee stung me square in the palm of my hand. Now I have been stung before, by hornets, wasps and honeybees, but nothing ever hurt like this.

Now Dad was sitting on the patio, enjoying the nice weather and watching me mow. I said something like "S.O.B. that hurts!"
He said "Well, go get an onion and rub some onion juice on it"

I thought, well he's probably full of it, but I was ready to try most anything, including chug-a-lugging a pint of Smirnoff. I did what he said, and within about 15 seconds the pain stopped...almost as abruptly as it started. Needless to say, I was really surprised, but it is a home remedy that absolutely and categorically works. We have used this method since; on my grand kids and myself, and Sharn Jean when she stepped on a red wasp a month or so ago. I don't guarantee that it will stop the swelling or reduce it, but it handles the pain big time and that's enough for me.

 

[Dozernut]

There's quit a bit of info on that on google. Search for "how to preserve a hornet nest" and you'll get tons of hits.
Here's one of them...
Preserving and Displaying a Hornet's Nest | Iowa Insect Information Notes

Thanks!

 

[oosik]

That's good to know Dennis. I always keep those little vials of green fluid around - somewhere. But I can always find an onion in the kitchen.

 

[MossRoad]

So what makes us cry more... hornets or onions! :hissyfit:

 

[Jstpssng]

Snip

We have gathered three bald faced hornet nests, and used no chemicals and had no odor problem. We waited until after a good freeze to cut it out of the tree. By that point, all the larvae had hatched and the adults were gone, or dead. Shook out some dead adults, and were ready to use. Last year's nest was too high to reach, so enjoyed seeing it in the top of a sugar maple all winter.

[endsnip]Years ago I took my first nest out of the top of a maple with my 30-30 while deer hunting... sure do wish that I could shoot that well today. ;-)

 

[Jstpssng]

So what makes us cry more... hornets or onions! :hissyfit:

For me it's onions... I have a worse reaction to blackflies than to hornets.

 

[jimmpatrick]

I had a similar problem a few years ago. I used a 12ga w/#8 shot, and that was the end of that.

Here in France we are bothered by Asian hornets which are more aggressive than the local ones, and also eat the bees. I can handle the nests which are lower down. Early in the morning when the hornets are dozy I put a rag soaked in white spirit on the nest with a long pole. After a couple of minutes I put a lighted rag on it and stand well back. White spirit not petrol. This method has proved effective.
The nest in the photo was 40 feet up in an acacia tree and I had to get the local nest destroyer in.