There are about twenty different species of hornets, the majority of which come from the tropical areas of Asia. There is also a European hornet, which prefers more temperate locations.
Hornets are actually an assortment of wasp. To know if you are dealing with a hornet, you may wish to have a look at the vertex. This is the component of its head that’s behind the eyes. A hornet has a larger vertex than other vespines. A hornet or wasp is not as “hairy” as a bee, and usually is somewhat larger. It’s actually pretty tricky to tell what insect you are handling unless you get very close, and most people prefer to return. The good news is that hornets tend to attack other insects as opposed to hanging out where humans can run into them.
Hornets, particularly the European species, have a horrible reputation. Lots of people think they’re mean and dangerous, but this is really not correct. Hornet stings aren’t any more dangerous than wasp stings. Furthermore, they are generally less aggressive than wasps. The only time they become aggressive is when they’re provoked or their nest is at risk.
Hornets NestSo how do you determine a hornet’s nest to be certain to stay far away? Nests are an integral part of the life cycle. The queen, who is a fertilized female, starts the nest in the spring. She finds a good location that’s sheltered, such as a tree trunk or a bush. She’ll build the first cell of the nest from chewed bark. Cells are built in layers which are called combs. The queen lays an egg to each cell. Later, the larva will spin a silk layer on top of the cell, closing it off. The larva will subsequently undergo metamorphosis and change to an adult hornet. Once she’s an adult, she will eat through the silk cap. All these initial hornets will be females. They will then take over all the queen’s duties, like building the nest and finding food. The queen, however, is the only person who will lay eggs. New combs are built by this first generation, in addition to an outside envelope which is built around the cell layers. Eventually the entire nest becomes covered. A finished nest is large, gray and seems to be made out of paper although it’s actually chewed bark and spit. When the nest is finished, the queen will even produce drones, which are male hornets. After they mate, they perish. By late autumn, most of the workers and queens also have died. It’s simply the fertilized queen who can live through the winter.
How to Kill the Hornets and Save the Nest
Many men and women collect hornet’s nests and even display them in their home. The best time to gather a nest for screen is in late fall or winter because the hornets that used to live there have now all died. The nests are often destroyed quickly by character, so if you want one, it’s best to collect it as early as possible. 1 method to remove a nest without destroying it is to slide a large plastic bag around it as gently as possible. You’ll want to do it immediately and you should try not to disturb the nest at all. The best time to do so is at the middle of the night when it is the coldest because the hornets will be active. As soon as you’ve got the nest in the bag, tie it shut. If it’s attached to a tree branch, you may wish to tie it over the tree branch, and then cut the branch off. Once you have secured the nest in a closed bag, place the bag in the freezer. Each of the hornets will die from the cold.