Ideas for Removal of a Hornet's Nest?

AKtinman · Aug 7, 2015

This hornets nest is in a tree next to my house.

These are the critters that live inside:

The nest is 40 feet up in the tree. I haven’t called an exterminator as they are about 60 miles away and I imagine would be pretty expensive even if they could take care of the nest.

The hornets are getting more aggressive and I feel it would be best to have the nest removed. My neighbor offered to lend me his shotgun, and while that might be a momentarily exciting solution, I don’t consider that to be a long-term fix.

Any suggestions for a low-risk removal before I call the pest control crews?

LittleCooner · Aug 7, 2015

12 gauge No 8 shot, apply until you have destroyed nest. all will be ok the next day, put the dog in the house. O, be ready to enter house and stay insided for some TV time. Apply pemethrin to the doors of the house and also directly under where the nest is located before opening the fireing range.

Watchdog · Aug 7, 2015

AKtinman said:
This hornets nest is in a tree next to my house.

These are the critters that live inside:

The hornets are getting more aggressive and I feel it would be best to have the nest removed. My neighbor offered to lend me his shotgun... and while that might be a momentarily exciting solution...

Yeah, it might be "momentarily exciting" for a moment, but probably not in a way you'd enjoy.

Do not shoot the nest with a shotgun. Don't squirt it with the hose, either.

And don't even think about having a party and pretending it's a piñata.

It might be easier for you to deal with if it wasn't forty feet up, so be smart...call the exterminator. Let a pro handle it (while you watch from a safe distance).

Chuck24 · Aug 7, 2015

Maybe that drone with the gun on it is available.

F75gunslinger · Aug 7, 2015

We used to wait til it was cold, then use the shotgun. Of course, if it doesn't get cold where you are, then yeah...exterminator.

BigBill · Aug 7, 2015

How far does that hornet/wasp spray shoot?

I shot a next at night with the spray. I got the guard in the opening of the best. Then flooded the inside of the nest it killed them all. I had white faced hornets.

Or shoot the opening with spray then burn it.

mclark202 · Aug 7, 2015

Drone with the ability to spray something on it? I bet they could get aggressive enough to take it down, but it would be cool to watch!

GatorFarmer · Aug 7, 2015

Flame thrower. Runs about $50 for a 500,000 btu model. You hook it up to a propane tank. On turbo mode, the fire reaches 30 odd feet and sounds like a jet engine. Loads of fun. I use it for all my yard work.

dave holl · Aug 7, 2015

Beekeeper to the rescue.....

I am not an entomologist but have kept honeybees for the past 45 years. During that time many local communities and homeowners have asked me to remove their hornet nests. Here is my advice (free of charge).

Since the nest is elevated and the hornets can come and go without human interference leave it alone until after a frost or two. In the hornet world all workers die, leaving only a handful of queens, some of which will be in the nest, others will have left for parts unknown. They do not reuse that old nest. Then, in the dead of winter shoot it down with a Full choke, aiming at the branch above. If you can get it down intact, there are people who buy them $25-$50. Before you discard it, look carefully at the workmanship of the nest, made of chewed cellulose.

Have a can of wasp/hornet spray handy, douse it and put it in a heavy duty trash bag.
WARNING. Be careful, those buggers can and will sting repeatedly.

As mentioned above, burning is the most satisfying, which I have done with their smaller cousins, the ground hornet or yellow jacket.

Dave

Rustyt1953 · Aug 8, 2015

For forty feet:

boatme99 · Aug 8, 2015

A pair of hand pruners, five bucks, and that obnoxious kid down the road.

Never overthink a simple problem.

cowart · Aug 8, 2015

Wait for cold weather, or spray the nest with liquid nitrogen.
Cut the tree limb so you can lower it to the ground.
Have this on hand:

4011 · Aug 8, 2015

I've used soapy water in a fire extinguisher. About a cup of liquid soap in an extinguisher that you can air up. Shoots twenty feet easily . Kills on contact. Now this was on yellow jackets. They dropped like flies. It shot a soapy stream that covered the nest. I shot it and ran.

vonn · Aug 8, 2015

If they would leave me alone I would leave them alone. If it becomes necessary to remove them I vote for the pro.

islamoradamark · Aug 8, 2015

the shot gun and the flame thrower sound like the funnest

keith44spl · Aug 8, 2015

Gees,

A Roman Candle (at nite).....hornets don't operate at nite

.

Gaffer · Aug 8, 2015

These I've collected over the years by waiting until the first heavy frost and then slipping a plastic bag over them.

CAJUNLAWYER · Aug 8, 2015

AKtinman said:
This hornets nest is in a tree next to my house.

These are the critters that live inside:

The nest is 40 feet up in the tree. I haven’t called an exterminator as they are about 60 miles away and I imagine would be pretty expensive even if they could take care of the nest.

The hornets are getting more aggressive and I feel it would be best to have the nest removed. My neighbor offered to lend me his shotgun, and while that might be a momentarily exciting solution, I don’t consider that to be a long-term fix.

Any suggestions for a low-risk removal before I call the pest control crews?

I'd go ask my wife-around here that's her job.

Brian41 · Aug 8, 2015

I had one but at a much lower level. I put on my foul weather gear I used on my boat and a face mast with goggles and gloves. I put a garbage barrel under the nest with a plastic garbage bag as a means to remove it later. I had a couple cans of wasp spray lying in the yard for backup. I took my tree trimmer pole with the rope activated limb cutter and stood back ten feet and cut the branch at the top of the hive. All went according to plan except the hive hit the edge of garbage can and knocked over and wasps swarmed everywhere. My gear kept me safe but I did run too.
I waited until after dark and sprayed the nest with a can of wasp spray in each hand and retreated. Did the job and put it in the trash bag next day and disposed of it. I don't recommend this practice for your case though.
Later my neighbor told me she and her kids were watching the whole scene from across the road and thanked me for their entertainment.

I'd recommend maybe you hire the pros since it's so high up.

g8rb8 · Aug 8, 2015

AKtinman said:
....The nest is 40 feet up ...

...exterminator as they are about 60 miles away .... I imagine would be pretty expensive .....

The hornets are getting more aggressive and I feel it would be best to have the nest removed......

......

Who: You or someone else. First thing would be to contact one or more exterminators and get an over the phone or via e-mail quote or rough idea of the cost. If the cost seems reasonable then you have a no-brainer decision.

What: Commercially available hornet spray, shotgun, flamethrower, or high pressure water. A high pressure water spray device looks to be the most practical, safe, effective. Should you wear a beekeeper suit or rig up a similar protective suit?

When: No matter what you do you will "stir up a hornet's nest" but the hornets will be much less active at night or after the first frost. You either have no frosts where you live or you don't want to wait till the first frost. In that case a nighttime plan is likely your safest bet.

Where: 40' up. The most significant obstacle seems to be the 40' height. How do you safely get that high without disturbing the nest or how do you get your intended kill device that high? A ladder seems like a terrible idea with horrible consequences if you panic and fall. Cherry picker? I do not like this idea. Personally I would not want to be stuck in a cherry picker with hornets swarming me even if in protective clothing.

Why: Duh!

If, for some reason, you decide to fix this problem with a shotgun, in the night, in a beekeeper suit ...... PLEASE POST PHOTOS.

Good luck.

Ideas for Removal of a Hornet's Nest?

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