Problem with Bald-faced hornets

[shaeff]

They’re one of the worst stings I’ve ever had the displeasure of receiving, and they’re aggressive. Got tagged by one in the temple, felt like I caught a haymaker.

Got tagged on the arm once as a kid, arm swelled to twice the size. The pain is much worse than a yellow jacket or wasp. And they can squirt their venom causing eye watering and temporary blindness, all while continuing their attack on you.

They have no place on my property. I don’t mind yellow jackets or wasps if their nests are away from my house. Bald face hornets I will kill.

 

[ruffdog]

Most times the nest is 20+ feet up in a tree. The only time they are around me is when they are cleaning old wood off of my wood patio furniture. They do a fantastic job keeping the wood clean over the years!

 

[Tinhack]

Do you have any photos?

All the best,

Peter

Not my own but I did find this one. I guess it's called the Mohogany Wasp.

 

[MossRoad]

I just used Raid hornet spray. Killed them quick. Ripped down the nest.

That stuff is scary. If it just touches them down they go. Some kind of nerve agent. Yikes!

 

[joecoin]

I was mowing with my 2 wheel brush hog and had been running into lots of spider webs. Suddenly felt a spider on my face. Then a dozen spiders on my face, that turned out to be hornets. Got stung once on the temple, set a new record for the 100 meters.

 

[ruffdog]

I just found my hornet nest....no wonder my chairs are so clean! This one is about 18 feet up and is a bigger one.

 

[Streetcar]

Are they being aggressive towards you? Or just making you nervous?

I’ve never seen bald faced hornets nest underground. They’ve always made a paper nest up in a tree. We have them around here. They usually become noticeable in the fall when they love to eat over-ripe fruit. I think they get drunk on it.

In all my 60+ years on this planet, I’ve never been stung by one. They are only aggressive if you mess with their nest. That would entail throwing a rock at it, beating it with a stick, or whacking the tree trunk with a club to intentionally get them riled up.

They hate sound of small engines, hit while using push mower

 

[Streetcar]

We had a nest near concession stand for local high school, only found after the leaves fell off tree. They didn’t bother anyone

 

[Carl_NH]

Ruffdog,

Great photo - that's a pigs head nest!

We had that size 12"x18" on the farm growing up we torched. Most of the ones here in NH are max 8" around in the trees.

 

[GeneV]

You know, the problem with bald faced hornets is....they can't grow a beard. Anyways, I don't have these types around here, but regular hornets or wasps got me good last year, surprise attack, 3 stings on my hand. That sucker swelled up bigtime, and I couldn't move some fingers for a while.