A giant hornets nest

[kromen]

Cleaning the yard today, I happened to look up into the trees. Perched about 30-40 ft in the air is a hornets nest the size of a basketball. It was active and I'm a little concerned because I have pets. Since I haven't seen them before today, I assume that they aren't that dangerous and we can coexist. However, we've had some pretty wicked storms come through and I would hate for the nest to take a tumble and they come seeking revenge against the first thing moving. Has anyone had wasp/hornet problems like this? I was thinking of getting a pro to relocate it, but I could imagine the bill when all is said and done. Any ideas?

 

[just for fun]

Cleaning the yard today, I happened to look up into the trees. Perched about 30-40 ft in the air is a hornets nest the size of a basketball. It was active and I'm a little concerned because I have pets. Since I haven't seen them before today, I assume that they aren't that dangerous and we can coexist. However, we've had some pretty wicked storms come through and I would hate for the nest to take a tumble and they come seeking revenge against the first thing moving. Has anyone had wasp/hornet problems like this? I was thinking of getting a pro to relocate it, but I could imagine the bill when all is said and done. Any ideas?

I'm no expert but I wouldn't worry about it since it's 40 feet in the air and the nests are strong. I've had nests like that and didn't even realize they were there until fall came and the leaves were gone. That said a friend of mine had a nest like that removed but it was only 8 feet up and full of bald headed hornets which can be very aggressive.

 

[culloden]

I've been stung by a hornet, and it hurts way more than any other bee or wasp sting. (Believe me, I know about bee stings - at least once a year I stumble into a yellow jacket nest. I used to date a girl who kept honey bees. I've had wasps down my bike jersey.) That said, the reason the hornet stung me was that I was cutting brush right next to a low-to-the-ground hive I hadn't noticed.

I live on a big lot in the forest, and get hornets' nests high in the trees every year. The one hornet sting I experienced was 30 years ago. I don't worry about hornets. Yellow jackets on the other hand, I follow back to their nests and destroy with a rain of toxins.

 

[NippleMuncher]

Honey bees are generally docile and won't mess with you unless you mess with them. If the nest is of honey bees then you can likely find someone to come take them for free.

Yellow jackets and wasps are another matter, they're not to be trifled with and will initiate unprovoked attacks. Being that the nest is so high in the tree, you won't likely have any problem with them, but it's still not worth the chance. I'd call an exterminator.

 

[Earl]

All I can tell you is to wait until after dark went all the hornets are back in the hive if you decide to try and destroy it. I have seen people use fire to burn the nest but a 40 feet that might be a problem. If the hive is 40 feet in a tree I'd leave it alone.

 

[ivantheterrible]

LEAVE IT ALONE!!!!! it may be a native white face hornet and they are getting scarce. what i have learned about ALL bee types, you leave them alone, and they'll leave you alone. bees don't sting just for the hell of it. you have to disturb them.
my ex father in law is a bee hater from hell. disturbed nests, etc., all the time. he got stung on a regular basis. i could walk by the same bees, nests etc., he'd just bothered and they wouldn't touch me. he wondered on that. i told him, bees ain't stupid. they know who to hate by color, and scent. bother them once and they remember who did it.
i've painted houses with bee nests on them, i'd paint all day around them and they'd never threaten me.
be nice to them, and they remember.

 

[ivantheterrible]

Honey bees are generally docile and won't mess with you unless you mess with them. If the nest is of honey bees then you can likely find someone to come take them for free.

Yellow jackets and wasps are another matter, they're not to be trifled with and will initiate unprovoked attacks. Being that the nest is so high in the tree, you won't likely have any problem with them, but it's still not worth the chance. I'd call an exterminator.

i've walked through flowers with wasps, bees in them feeding and pet them as they feed. no problems.

 

[PaddyO]

Call you local college biology department, they can tell you who to call and get the nest removed. Hornets, wasps and bees can be deadly if someone is allergic to their sting.

Paddy

 

[hulmule]

had the same thing. if you dont mess with them they wont mess with you.people try to spray them with a garden hose and they will follow the water down and get you.. hornets can sting you multiple times- ask me i know.ive nevr seen one just fall out of a tree, they build those nest pretty good.if there up at 40 'you'll never run into them. but jst to make your self feel good, make a couple of calls. metro parks ,etc and see what they say . i would like to know. good luck , if you lived close i would look at it for you .!!

 

[kromen]

Thanks for the advice. A large storm moved through last night and it's still there. I'll leave them be (no pun intended). When I get a chance, I'll post a pic.

 

[culloden]

Thanks for the advice. A large storm moved through last night and it's still there. I'll leave them be (no pun intended). When I get a chance, I'll post a pic.

That's a good point. I see hornets' nests pretty regularly, and they don't tend to fall. There was one to be seen from my dining room last year, after the trees dropped their leaves. It hung on all winter, probably 50 or 60 feet up, and we get some wicked winds here.

 

[Kikori]

LEAVE IT ALONE!!!!! it may be a native white face hornet and they are getting scarce. what i have learned about ALL bee types, you leave them alone, and they'll leave you alone. bees don't sting just for the hell of it. you have to disturb them.

Speak for yourself; yellow jackets are very aggressive and unafraid to sting unprovoked.
Also, recall. He's looking for the safety of his pets as well. A human can be taught not to do anything to, or look out for bees. It's kind of hard to teach a puppy to not disturb a hornet.

It might be worth looking into what kind of hornets you have in specific, to see if you'll encounter any unexpected aggression problems. However, if you've made it this far without an incident, then you probably don't have to worry about much.

 

[just for fun]

Speak for yourself; yellow jackets are very aggressive and unafraid to sting unprovoked.
Also, recall. He's looking for the safety of his pets as well. A human can be taught not to do anything to, or look out for bees. It's kind of hard to teach a puppy to not disturb a hornet.

Again I'm not an expert but I don't think Yellow Jackets have nests like that up in trees, I think they nest more in the ground and crevasses. I had them once in my attic and your right they're nasty. They ate through the ceiling drywall all the way to the paint leaving a thin layer of paper between me and them, they are very aggresive. I called an exterminator

It might be worth looking into what kind of hornets you have in specific, to see if you'll encounter any unexpected aggression problems. However, if you've made it this far without an incident, then you probably don't have to worry about much.

Agreed

 

[culloden]

Again I'm not an expert but I don't think Yellow Jackets have nests like that up in trees, I think they nest more in the ground and crevasses. I had them once in my attic and your right they're nasty. They ate through the ceiling drywall all the way to the paint leaving a thin layer of paper between me and them, they are very aggresive. I called an exterminator



Agreed

All the yellow jacket nests I've ever seen are in the ground. They are aggressive - I've been stung just walking within a few feet of them. Three times last year, in fact. The nests are easy enough to find then. Come back to the area after they've calmed down, and quietly observe. Eventually you'll see the bees entering or leaving a hole in the ground. Come back after dark and spray the hell out of the hole. I like the hornet and wasp spray made by Spectracide - kills on contact.

Hornets nests aren't usually a big deal because they don't tend to build in traffic areas. In addition to having them in the trees, we get them under the eaves of our house. I usually leave them alone all summer, which has never led to anyone being stung. The nests are high enough up that we can coexist for a few months. Come the fall and freezing temps, I get up on a ladder and scrape the nests down. I break the nest up on the ground, and birds come to eat the dormant hornets and larvae.

I've never worried about my dogs being stung. It happens occasionally, but that just results an a "yipe" and some mutual respect.

Really, I think the only time you need to worry a lot about bees is if someone is allergic. Then it's serious. Otherwise, it's merely a nuisance. A painful nuisance occasionally, but nothing more. In fact, honey bee venom is a folk remedy for arthritis.

 

[Eilan]

Thanks for the advice. A large storm moved through last night and it's still there. I'll leave them be (no pun intended). When I get a chance, I'll post a pic.

I think leaving them alone is the best thing as well. We have a couple of hornets' nests on our property, and they've never bothered our children or our animals.

 

[Kikori]

Again I'm not an expert but I don't think Yellow Jackets have nests like that up in trees, I think they nest more in the ground and crevasses. I had them once in my attic and your right they're nasty. They ate through the ceiling drywall all the way to the paint leaving a thin layer of paper between me and them, they are very aggresive. I called an exterminator

I was only implying aggression, not that their nests are in the trees. We had a Jacket nest in our front yard, so it's something I know all too well. >.>

 

[blowonyourface]

BB Gun. haha just kidding. Call a professional if concerned.

 

[Maxell46]

Its a Bald Faced Hornets nest you have up in that tree. Nasty son of a guns that when disturbed sends the ENTIRE nest out to attack. I've seen gardners and landscapers put in the hospital when they accidently cut thru a nest while trimming hedges.

Bald means white = like Bald Eagle.

At 40' high I'd leave it alone. Its to high up to be of any concern.

 

[kromen]

Hope it uploads

I finally got around to taking a picture of it, hope it's not too big to post.

 

[Mac98]

I used to have a Bee's nest up in the tree on my front lawn when I was a kid. My friend and I would throw rocks at it and when the bees came storming out, we'd run like hell... Even after provoking them... MANY MANY times, i was never stung. Hornets, on the other hand, aren't as patient as Bees :S.

I suggest calling an exterminator.

 

[NippleMuncher]

I finally got around to taking a picture of it, hope it's not too big to post.

Yeah, that's not one to be trifled with!

The way I see it is you've got three options.
1 - Exterminator
2 - Leave it
3 - Leave it until a good frost/freeze. The bees will be gone or dead and you can remove the nest yourself. They won't return without the nest there.


I just discovered where the wasps are coming from that we've been finding in the house lately. There's several nests in the gable vent of the garage about 20' off the ground. I believe I can get to the back of the vent from the garage attic, so I'll be squirting them in safety.

 

[just for fun]

Good for you for leaving it alone. Take the nest down in the fall and check it out it's amazing how they're built and how strong they are.