Bald Face Hornet Extermination & Nest Removal Richmond VA

The Bald-Faced Hornet is probably the most well known and rightfully feared stinging insect in the Richmond area. When you see that large, grey paper nest hanging from a tree limb, you know to keep your distance. However, there is a lot of confusion about what these insects actually are and how they behave.

Despite the name, these are not true hornets. They are actually a very large species of yellowjacket. While they share the same aggressive personality as the yellowjackets you see in the ground or behind a doorbell thats not flush with the siding, they have a very different look and nesting habit.

• Color and Markings: Unlike the yellow and black stripes of a common yellowjacket, these are mostly black with distinct white or ivory markings on their face and the tip of their abdomen. That "white face" is the easiest way to identify them.

• Size: They are much larger than a standard yellowjacket, usually growing to about 3/4 of an inch long.

These insects are master builders. They create those famous large round nests that you see in Richmond VA.

• How They Build: They chew up wood fibers from old fences or dead trees and mix it with their saliva. This creates a tough, grey paper material that protects the colony from the weather.

• The Size: A nest starts small in the spring but can quickly grow to be larger than a basketball by late summer.

• The Inside: Inside that paper shell are multiple levels of stacked combs. These are where the queen lays her eggs and the workers care for the larvae.

Bald-Faced Hornets generally like to be up high, but they are adaptable. You will commonly find their nests:

• High up in tree branches or attached to utility poles.

• In the eaves of your home, often attached to a downspout or under a shingle.

• The Danger Zone: Occasionally, they will build a nest lower to the ground inside a dense bush or shrub. These are the most dangerous because you might not see the nest until you are right on top of it while doing yard work.

Like all yellowjackets, Bald-Faced Hornets are extremely defensive of their home. If you get too close to the nest, they won't just give you a warning; they will attack.

When a worker stings a person or an animal, it releases a specific alarm pheromone. This is a chemical scent that acts like a battle cry, telling every other worker in the nest exactly who to attack. Because their stingers are smooth, a single hornet can sting you multiple times without dying. This combination of calling for backup and multiple stings is why a run-in with a Bald-Face Hornets nest can be a medical emergency.

Because of their high level of aggression and the way they signal the rest of the colony to attack, I always recommend professional pest control to protect you, your family and your pets.. It doesn't matter if the nest is at the far edge of your yard—if a child throws a ball near it or a storm knocks the branch down, you have a major safety hazard. Trying to spray a basketball-sized nest with a store-bought wasp killer is usually a recipe for disaster.

The first thing to understand is that I unfortunately cant do anything about the random hornets flying around the yard. If you see them landing on flowers, they are just out hunting. To stop the problem, we have to find the nest. Once we find it we can go to work but it might take some time. They can be hard to spot if its a smaller nest and activity is low.

• Suiting Up: I never approach these nests without a full, professional hornet suit. Because they release that alarm pheromone I mentioned earlier, the moment I touch the nest, every worker inside will be on me in a heartbeat

• The Bulb Duster: Instead of a standard spray, I use a tool called a bulb duster. I insert the tip of the duster directly into the opening—or sometimes through the side of the paper wall—and give it several strong pumps.

• The Dust Effect: This sends a cloud of insecticide dust throughout the internal combs where the queen and the larvae are located. As the workers move around, they coat themselves in the dust and spread it to every corner of the nest.

The moment the dust hits the nest, activity will ramp up significantly. The hornets get extremely angry and will swarm me and the area. This is a normal part of the job. I usually stay back and give the nest some time to settle while the dust does its work.

Usually, within a very short amount of time the activity will  slow down enough for me to efficiently remove the nest.

Unlike some companies that just spray and leave, I believe in being thorough.  I will physically remove the nest from your tree or your house. Leaving a large, dead nest behind can sometimes attract other pests or just look like an eyesore.

If you are interested, these nests are actually beautiful pieces of natural art. If I can get it down in one piece, I can sometimes "clear coat" the nest to preserve it as a trophy. Some of my customers like to keep them on display in their garage or on a shelf. If you want it, it’s yours! If not, I’m more than happy to take it with me.