What You Should Know About Baldfaced Hornets

What You Should Know About Baldfaced Hornets

Baldfaced hornets actually belong to the yellowjacket family, and they’re not really hornets at all. You’ll typically see their nests in wooded areas, on a tree branch, on a shrub, on a utility pole or even on your house siding. They live in social colonies similar to those of honey bees and ants.

The nest, comprised of a paper-like material, is made when the hornets chew wood fibers and mix it with saliva. It has three to four tiers of combs within a thick outer shell with multiple layers. The nest features just one opening at the bottom, which is where you’ll spot the hornets flying in and out.

The Threat

Hornets have a reputation for being aggressive even when unprovoked. In truth, they will only attack if they – or their nest -- feel threatened by human or animal activity. That said, because they will protect their colony at all costs, they will likely sting anyone that comes within a few feet of the nest.

You’re more likely to be stung if the nest is located in a high-traffic area, such as in a doorway or along a walkway. If the nest is located far from human activity, leave it alone and don’t attempt to remove it. However, if it is too close for comfort, call Cavanaugh’s for professional pest removal.

Life Cycle

Baldfaced hornets have a four-stage life cycle, just like wasps, bees and ants. They go through these stages:

• Egg
• Larva
• Pupa
• Adult

Hornets, large and black with white- or cream-colored markings on the head and abdomen, will feed on other insects like filth flies and blow flies. A colony of hornets won’t last more than a year. Each year, new hornets will build a nest from scratch. In fact, queens are the only colony members that will make it through the winter.

In spring, the queen will select a nice location in which to build a new nest and raise sterile female offspring.

Worker hornets will work on enlarging and maintaining the nest, while foraging for food and caring for the offspring. The queen’s sole job is to make more eggs. The nest is thriving busily by mid-summer, with worker hornets totaling between 100 to 400 at this peak time.

In the fall, the males and new queens take over, abandoning the old nest to mate, while the fertilized queen hibernates. The rest of the workers, the old queen, and the males will die off, either due to old age or from freezing temperatures over the winter.

Contact Cavanaugh’s Professional Termite and Pest Services

Do you have a baldfaced hornet nest on your property that is threatening your family’s safety? Don’t hesitate to contact us today at one of our three convenient locations. Let us provide fast, effective removal of these nests so you can once again enjoy the safety of your yard.