Ever been stung by a hornet? It’s a pretty terrifying and painful experience. So many summer barbecues turn into panic fests when hornets dive bomb guests and try to claim their food. It really doesn’t have to be that way; you and your family can live in hornet-free peace. Here at Fox Pest Control, we want you to feel safe and comfortable in your own yard.
You might already know for sure that you have a hornet problem. But here are a couple of the most common signs of a hornet infestation in Susquehanna Valley & Surrounding Areas.
You might see one flying around the house, yard, or garden.
These are always physical nests built above the ground, usually in trees or on soffits. They can range in size from a golf ball to a basketball.
Some types of wasps make nests underground, underneath house siding, or in gutters. You’ll know you have hornets (or another type of wasps) if you see them flying in and out of specific places on or around your home.
Think you have a hornet problem? Call Fox Pest Control for a free hornet control quote.
Schedule prompt service with one of our certified technicians.
Your technician will conduct a thorough inspection of your home and property in order to provide a customized hornet treatment plan that will be most effective for your situation.
You will receive a detailed report of the service provided and helpful recommendations to remain hornet free.
We come back regularly throughout the year to ensure the hornets don’t come back. If you see any hornet activity between your regularly scheduled service, simply give us a call. We’ll come back for free!
Hornets are extremely tough insects, and they’re difficult to keep away from your home when you’re trying to do it alone. Fox Pest Control is here so you don’t have to feel alone. Whether the hornets are building nests in your eaves and soffits, in the siding of the house, in a tree, or in the ground, we have the tools to keep you safe. Our treatments will get rid of wasps for you and make your home safe and comfortable again.
Some people are allergic to hornet stings. When stung, they are at risk to go into anaphylaxis, which is life-threatening.
For most people, stinging insects like hornets don’t usually cause more than a painful welt and some swelling. However, too many stings could cause life-threatening reactions.
Like many other stinging wasps, hornets can sting you multiple times because their stinger is straight. Because honey bees have a barbed stinger, they can only sting once and then die.
In general, hornets eat crop-destroying insects and insect pests, which makes them beneficial in the wild.
Some hornets contribute to plant pollination the way honey bees do, although no hornets are as effective at plant pollination as native bees.
Some species of hornets also eat flower nectar and pollen, just like bees, which means some hornets help plants by pollination. Although, no pollinating insects are quite as efficient pollinators as native bees.
Most hornets only eat meat, usually other insects. However, there are some types of hornets that also eat flower nectar and pollen.
Some hornet species can make a small amount of honey that they regurgitate for their larvae to eat. However, they don’t collect pollen the way honey bees do.
Wasps. A wasp is a general group of flying, stinging insects that eat meat, can sting multiple times, and are either solitary or make colonies. This means that hornets, yellowjackets, mud daubers, and paper wasps are all types of the general “wasp” group.
Bees. All bees are hairy and have short wings. They can either be yellow and black or entirely black. Bees are neither bumblebees or wasps. Of the thousands of types of bees, carpenter bees and honey bees are the most common.
Bumblebees. All bumblebees are closely related to wasps, but they are neither bees nor wasps. They have stubby wings and fat, hairy bodies that are black and yellow. They often make small colonies underground.
Asian giant hornets are a very large hornet that lives in colonies. They usually kill colonies of honey bees all at once in order to eat their larvae.
They can grow to about 2 inches long, with yellow heads and either yellow-and-black stripes or yellow-and-brown stripes on their abdomen.
As of December 2019, Asian giant hornets, Vespa mandarinia, were spotted in Washington State. Their native range is mainly in the eastern parts of Asia, so they don’t belong in the U.S. That makes them an “invasive species.”
Asian giant hornets can be very aggressive if you mess with their nest, but contrary to their “murder hornet” name, they won’t come after you like killer bees do.
Contrary to their nickname, Asian giant hornets are not usually aggressive and don’t go after people unless you handle them or threaten their nest. But their sting can be deadly if enough of them sting you, especially for those allergic to wasp stings. Globally, up to a few dozen people die from these wasps every year.
The main difference is in size, though there are differences in coloration.
Asian giant hornets are about 2 inches long, and they have a yellow head with yellow and black or yellow and brown stripes on its abdomen.
Cicada killers are usually 1.5 inches long, and they are black or dark brown with yellow stripes and a dark-colored head. Cicada killers are solitary.
European hornets are between 3/4 and 1.5 inches long. They are usually brown with yellow stripes and a pale color on their heads.
The way you can clearly identify them is that the Asian giant hornet is huge! It’s the biggest known wasp species, measuring around 1.5 - 2 inches in length for the worker wasps. The Asian giant hornet also has a unique color pattern. It’s head is completely yellow, and its abdomen has either yellow and black or yellow and brown stripes.
Even though the mainstream media has labeled these hornets as “murder hornets,” in reality these wasps don’t go rampaging and killing people as the name suggests.
Sadly, these wasps are murderous against honey bees. A few Asian giant wasps are capable of completely slaughtering a honey bee colony of 30,000 to 50,000 individuals in just a span of a few hours!
If you think you may have come across the Asian giant wasp, don’t hesitate to call your state department of entomology extension office to confirm the identification.
We have never needed pest control in the past and we randomly called Fox. We couldn't be happier with Phil the technician that came to service our home. Phil was extremely knowledgeable, thorough and patient. He answered all of our questions and put us at ease. If all of Fox's technicians are like Phil then you'll be in good hands.
We've been using FOX for the last few years for seasonal pest maintenance. Every time we see some sort of pest activity outside our regular seasonal treatment, they come quick and take care of it. The workers are always kind and courteous and answer my questions and concerns. We've recommended this company to a number of family and friends who have also used FOX for treatment.
We have only experienced outstanding service from our techs, especially Sterling. He is very respectful and so sweet!! Good communication from their main office too! Happy customer, will recommend to friends in our area :)
At Fox Pest Control, your comfort and safety are important to us. That's why we promise a 100% satisfaction guarantee. The FOX PROMISE means you'll get exceptional professional service from all aspects of our company—from our hometown Branch Team to the Route Managers and Technicians who take care of your home.
And if you see any pest activity between your regularly scheduled treatments, simply give us a call; we'll come back at no additional charge.