8 Ways To Get Rid Of Hornets

The first sign that you might have a hornet issue is seeing the insects frequently flying about your yard. Identifying them as hornets instead of honeybees or other flying insects is key. According to Command Pest Control, there are many types of hornets, and they are often very aggressive. They have similar characteristics to yellow jackets, yet hornets are larger in size. Keep your distance and avoid aggravating them. When they sting, hornets have the ability to release more pain-inducing venom than any other insect.

Another obvious indicator of infestation is finding a hornet's nest. Hornets either hang their nests or build them in holes in the ground. Check around your home for nest-like structures under your porch roof, in your garage, and attached to tree branches. Look carefully for nibbled wood on the exterior of your home as well. Hornets don't actually ingest wood (via Orkin). However, they chew it up and use the broken-down wood cellulose as building material when constructing their nests.

You might not think that a hornet has a sweet tooth, but they are indeed fans of sugar. It's what attracts them to your backyard barbecues, which you'd probably prefer they didn't attend. According to Kitchn, wasps especially crave sugar in late summer and early fall, making them more susceptible during that time to the sweet scent a sugar trap will waft their way.

The only things you'll need to set this hornet trap are a plastic soda bottle (12 oz is fine, or 2 liters for a larger-sized trap), sugar, and water. First, cut the top 1/4 of the plastic bottle off (the part you pour from and a few inches below). Flip it over and insert it into the bottom half so the "spout" faces down. Duct tape it in place. Next, dissolve 2 parts sugar with 1 part water and pour it inside. Place it outside, away from areas you usually hang out, but where wasps will easily reach it. Plant Care Today recommends coating the "spout" part with oil if wasps figure out how to fly out.

When hornets are hovering nearby while you're outdoors, the scent of peppermint will encourage them to buzz off. Tips Bulletin writes that mixing 2 cups of water with 30 drops of peppermint essential oil, then mixing in 2 tablespoons of liquid dish soap in a spray bottle will create a powerful solution you can spray at hornets or around areas they like to visit. Plant Care Today also recommends leaving out peppermint-soaked cotton balls to discourage hornets from sticking around (though you'll have to replace these often). Tuck them into eaves or crevices they've previously tried to nest.

To really add a punch to your peppermint spray that will take down a nest, create a 50-50 solution of water and white vinegar. Mix in 20 drops of peppermint essential oil per 1 ounce of the solution, as well as 1 tablespoon of dish detergent per 1 cup of it. Wasps sleep after dark, and you'll want to approach the nest when they're not active. Spray the solution in powerful bursts onto the nest (without bursting it open) until it's soaked, and repeat in the area to repel future nest-building.

Another way to manage hornet nests is to drown them out. Eartheasy says you can submerge aerial nests if you carefully remove them. After dark, when the colony is resting, approach the nest carefully and cover it completely with a cloth bag. Quickly tie off the top so hornets cannot escape. Put the bag in a bucket of water and weigh it down, so it sinks.

They don't recommend flooding (or burning) an open or underground nest with water since angry hornets can escape and attack. But Tips Bulletin notes that their wings will be coated if you add soap to the water, making it harder for them to escape. They write that you can mix boiling water with liquid dish soap for ground nests. Add it to a watering can that can withstand heat and quickly pour it into the nest entrance at night. If you can, block the opening with a bowl or bucket and skedaddle. You won't want to be around to feel their wrath if they fly out.

To make sure hornets stay away, you'll need to make your yard less hospital to them. Discourage them from setting up a nest in or around your home by hanging fake wasp nests. Treehugger writes that given their territorial nature, they'll want to space themselves out if they think other wasps set up shop. You can buy fake nests, and even hanging a paper bag might do the trick.

Plants that repel wasps include peppermint, eucalyptus, citronella, and thyme, according to Plant Care Today. They also recommend hanging a baggy filled with water and a penny to scare them off because when the penny catches the light, hornets could mistake it for a spider web. Old CDs, mirrors, or reflective mobiles might also do the trick (via Expert Pest Control). If your yard has fruit trees, clean up fallen fruit before it begins to rot and ferment. HowStuffWorks writes that hornets will eat the fruit and become aggressive toward people and pets afterward. Finally, Eartheasy says to patch up holes in screens and seal cracks or gaps around vents, doorframes, eaves, and windows, so they don't have easy access to your home.

Another way to make your yard less welcoming to pesky hornets is to either darken it or light it strategically. Hornets, like many insects, are drawn to bright sources of exterior illumination like floodlights and glowing porch lanterns (via CAES Newswire). You can simply keep your outdoor lights turned off. However, this can cause safety and security concerns. Instead, switch your light bulbs to a soft yellow or amber hue. This shade of light isn't as attractive to most insects, so you can still have an illuminated exterior with fewer hornets.

All wasps, including hornets, are attracted to sugary drinks, meat, and produce scraps that likely fill your trash cans. Entomologist and pest control company owner Ryan Smith suggests keeping these cans and compost bins securely covered to avoid attracting them to your space. He tells BestLife, "These pollinators are on the lookout for food, and they love to feed on sweets, like fruit juices and honey, and protein food, such as dairy products."

Hornets are also attracted to water sources for drinking and gathering water with their mandibles to build their nests (via Go Pest Solutions). Consider emptying water features like fountains or bird baths to avoid attracting them to your yard. If you have a pool or hot tub, keep it covered when not in use.