Despite their name, bald-faced hornets are not hornets. Instead, they are a black-and-white species of yellow jacket.
For most people, this is a matter of semantics. What they are concerned about is not getting stung.
In fact, it’s this fear that causes people to ask for professional bald-faced hornet control.
Are bald-faced hornets really that dangerous? Keep reading to find out.
ABOUT BALD-FACED HORNETS
With their extremely territorial behavior around their nests, bald-faced hornets are a real threat to families.
• WHAT ARE BALD-FACED HORNETS?
These close relatives of the yellow jacket are social insects that are attracted to barbecues and picnics. A single bald-faced hornet out foraging for food is unlikely to turn aggressive unless someone swats at it or otherwise interferes with it.
A colony of bald-faced hornets builds a large aerial nest each year. The location of the nest is critical. If it is placed on your property, such as dangling from the eaves of your home, then the chances that your family will be stung are extremely high.
• ARE BALD-FACED HORNETS DANGEROUS?
Compared to yellow jackets, bald-faced hornets are almost docile as long as they are nowhere near their nest. When in the vicinity of their nest, their behavior undergoes a marked change.
By instinct, these insects react aggressively to any perceived threat. They are sensitive to animals or people that enter “their” territory. Loud noises, such as those produced by a leaf blower or a lawn mower, can upset them. Even one person walking within a few feet of the nest may be swarmed.
Members of the colony work together to address the perceived threat. If you try to run away, they will follow you to continue the attack.
BALD-FACED HORNET IDENTIFICATION
• WHAT DO BALD-FACED HORNETS LOOK LIKE?
The bald-faced hornet’s name is derived from the distinctive white markings on the insect’s face. Most of the insect is stark black. White markings also may be seen on their thorax and abdomen. Generally, full-grown workers measure between one-half and five-eighths of an inch. Queens can be larger at approximately three-quarters of an inch long. Both the queen and workers have long, thin bodies.
• HOW TO TELL BALD-FACED HORNETS FROM YELLOW JACKETS
Yellow jackets and hornets have characteristics in common like their body shape and lack of hair. Both species also are capable of delivering multiple painful stings.
However, these species are differentiated by their coloration. As their name suggests, yellow jackets have several bright yellow markings on their bodies. Both species have black markings, but the bald-faced hornet has off-white markings instead of yellow ones.
It also may be possible to distinguish the species by the location of their nests. Most yellow jackets build nests at or below ground level while bald-faced hornets prefer aerial nests.
SIGNS OF A BALD-FACED HORNET PRESENCE
How do you know if you have bald-faced hornets on your property? Rely on a professional exterminator to give you an accurate identification and to efficiently treat the problem.
• HOW TO TELL IF YOU HAVE BALD-FACED HORNETS
Several signs may indicate that you are dealing with an infestation of bald-faced hornets. Perhaps the most obvious sign is that you frequently see black-and-white, slender insects flying around your home.
Another telltale sign is the presence of a nest. These may be suspended from eaves and overhangs or from trees or utility poles. With a gray, papery appearance, these nests may be vaguely shaped like a football and can become quite large.
BALD-FACED HORNET SEASON
As temperatures begin to rise in the spring, you are likely to see more bald-faced hornet activity. This is the best time to call for professional pest control as the colony is smaller and easier to destroy than it will be by the middle of the summer.
• WHEN ARE BALD-FACED HORNETS ACTIVE?
Mature colonies produce new queens and males each fall. These new colony members leave the nest to mate, after which the newly fertilized queens will hibernate throughout the winter. All of the other colony members will either die of old age or be killed by freezing temperatures.
The queen emerges in the spring and begins to produce successive generations of workers, each one more numerous than the last. As late spring becomes summer, the population explodes, and people are much more likely to encounter bald-faced hornets.
• WHEN DO BALD-FACED HORNETS BUILD THEIR NESTS?
An entirely new nest is constructed each year. Around April or May, a fertilized queen will choose a good location for a nest. She builds a small nest and raises her first daughters, which are sterile. Soon, the workers begin adding on to the nest, enlarging it so that it will accommodate more offspring. This nest will only be used for one year.
BALD-FACED HORNET HABITS
Exterminators use their knowledge of bald-faced hornet behavior to help them locate and destroy their nests.
• WHERE DO BALD-FACED HORNETS BUILD NESTS?
Bald-faced hornets prefer aerial nests that are suspended at least three feet off the ground. Eaves, lights, utility poles, fences, shrubs and trees all may provide the right location. These nests can become really large and house hundreds of workers as well as the queen. When these nests are built in heavily populated areas or are suspended from a house, then the risk of stinging attacks multiplies exponentially.
• WHEN DO BALD-FACED HORNETS COME OUT?
Bald-faced hornet activity reaches its peak in the summer when the colony is at its largest. Activity may begin around May and last through September, especially if it is a particularly warm and dry year.
Expect to see the biggest numbers of these pests out and about from sunrise to sunset. After the sun goes down, bald-faced hornets mainly return to the nest to sleep.
• WHAT DO BALD-FACED HORNETS EAT?
One of the largest components of the bald-faced hornet's diet is soft-bodied insects. Aphids and caterpillars are commonly chosen. Like yellow jackets, these pests also are drawn by meat. Additionally, bald-faced hornets obtain carbohydrates from nectar and protein from pollen.
BALD-FACED HORNET TREATMENTS & REMEDIES
Most people are anxious to get rid of bald-faced hornets. Because of their extremely territorial behavior, this is a job that is best left to pest management professionals.
• WHAT KILLS BALD-FACED HORNETS NATURALLY?
Unfortunately, the best natural killer of bald-faced hornets is cold weather. This means that you would have to wait until fall or winter to end your pest infestation.
Another alternative is to put out wasp traps. However, this is only a partial solution. Individual bald-faced hornets may be attracted to the bait and trapped within the device, but such traps cannot kill the queen and stop the infestation.
• HOW DO YOU GET RID OF BALD-FACED HORNETS IN YOUR HOUSE?
Occasionally, a colony of bald-faced hornets will build a nest hanging from the eaves of a house or even suspended from somewhere inside the house, such as the attic. It further is possible that these pests will build a nest in a wall cavity or void if they can find a suitable opening in the exterior of the home.
Any of these locations is particularly bad news for the homeowner who may now have to deal with having bald-faced hornets indoors on a regular basis. Given the species' overtly territorial behavior, your family will be in constant danger until the nest is removed. The only way to do this safely is to ask an exterminator to do it for you.
BALD-FACED HORNET PREVENTION
Most people would prefer not to have to worry about an infestation of these stinging insects. Regular pest control inspections and treatments can ensure that bald-faced hornets don't become a problem.
• WHAT ARE BALD-FACED HORNETS ATTRACTED TO?
The thing that is most likely to attract bald-faced hornets is food that they like to eat. These pests eat many other insects, so it may be in your best interests to have pest control treatments performed on your property on a regular basis. This ensures that you have fewer bugs in your yard and home. Not only does this bring you peace of mind but it also means that bald-faced hornets are less likely to forage for an insect meal on your property.
Keep in mind that bald-faced hornets also are attracted by meat. If you are having a picnic or barbecue, consider keeping the serving dishes inside or using covers if the food will be kept outside. Hanging wasp traps around the yard also may help to direct the bald-faced hornet's attention elsewhere.
Additionally, these pests harvest nectar and pollen. This may mean that it is sensible to keep blossoming trees and plants well away from the house or outdoor eating areas.
• HOW TO DETER BALD-FACED HORNETS
The good news is that you do have steps that you can take that may deter bald-faced hornets from foraging or building a nest on your property.
For instance, bald-faced hornets and other pests are attracted to water sources. Get rid of any standing water issues, and make certain that receptacles that can hold water, like discarded tires, are removed. Remember that a birdbath, inflatable pool or pond also can attract pests.
If you have a rotting tree anywhere on your property, bald-faced hornets may see this as an open invitation. They use the rotting wood to build their nests. Similarly, patio furniture that is made of wood may attract them. Ensure that these pieces are in good repair and are painted or stained to protect them.
