How can I get rid of hornets?

[GB]

Now that it is finally nice outside I am spending a lot of time on my deck. The other day I noticed a decent sized hornets nest on the deck so I knocked it down (and then ran like heck). I also noticed a lot of hornets living in our umbrella on our table. I don't see a nest in the umbrella, but each time I open it there at hornets inside and in the folds. Well it had been three days since I knocked down the nest, but there are still hornets all over the place. Is there anything I can do to discourage them from hanging around?

 

[Raine]

Smoke 'em out.

 

[Alix]

GB, I read that if you hang a paper bag in your yard they will leave because they think it is another nest. They go elsewhere to build a home. I would also advise you to invest in some Raid Hornet and Wasp killer in the black can. You spray some foam over the hole in the nest, then you stick the long skinny tube through the foam and into the nest and spray the crap out of it. I know with wasps you do this in the evening just at dusk because they are all back in there for the night. Not sure about hornet behaviour though. GOOD LUCK.

 

[kitchenelf]

We have a bunch of hornets too - think I'll try the paper bag trick.

 

[GB]

I am going to try the paper bag right now. Thanks for the suggestion.

I thought about Raid, but since there is no nest (that I can see) I wouldn't know where to spray. I hope the paper bag works

 

[kitchenelf]

You can tell where the nest is if you sit and pay attention to where they eventually go - or where the larger congregation of them are. There is a nest under our HVAC pad - they really have to work to get to it because they will fly over the fan and be cannoned into the air

 

[GB]

A lot of them are looking for the nest I knocked down days ago. The others are going to the umbrella, but I don't see a nest in there, although it could be out of sight.

 

[SierraCook]

The best thing to do is get a wasp and hornet trap. I put mine out early spring to capture the queens and that will reduce the likelihood of having them nest in your yard. As long as that queen is flying around looking for a place to nest the rest will be following her. Also, the sooner you trap the queen the less hornets or wasps she will have a chance to produce.

If you don't have a wasp or hornet problem it is recommended that you do not place a trap in your yard. That would just attract them to your yard when you don't initially have the problem. I put one in a fir tree in my yard that must have a nest in it every year by the number of wasps that I see flying around it.

 

[Brooksy]

GB,

If the little ratbags are hanging around there is a queen setting up home somewhere. All advice you have received is good. Follow it. You will have to look very closely for quite a while to workout where the nest (or queen) is. Be careful, they ain't bees.

You may find that the wee beasties have setup in the shaft of your brolly also, be careful ratting them out.

Good luck, I'm glad it's you & not me - we had a bee problem a while back & it took a long time to get them all out - they took up residence in a wall cavity.