Hornets

[Stereo]

I live in an old barn conversion and we had to put in 'bat pipes' when we did it. So there is a small entrance to a small enclosed loft space that is not accessible form in or out of the house. Last year we had hornets in one end and I took the decision to deal with them and block the hole. Not sure if that was right or wrong. This year they are at the other end of the house and because of the build, I can't get at the hole to block it. I've got 3 young kids and next door have kids and we have pets. I've kept the upstairs windows closed and tonight I counted at least 30 hornets on the big window at the end of the house trying to get in to the light.

 

Now, I'm not anti hornet. At the moment we live and let live. They are above our main yard and they come and go as do we. I am happy to let this go into the winter as they haven't hurt us yet. It's a bit scary but I'm keeping the faith that they are not bothered about us. Especially with kids playing in the yard.

 

What I would like to know is the science behind it. Assuming they have nested in my tiny loft space, is that a permanent home? Will they just leave for the winter? If I block up that hole this winter will I harm the nest? Should I welcome them to my home? They don't worry me personally but I've got kids and pets and they are big buzzy buggers.

 

Any comments welcome.

[jackdaw]

Hi.

 

We've had Hornet nests a few times in barn and stable buildings.

I found them calm, fascinating and generally just go about their own business, amazing to see the intricate paper/wood nests the workers build. come mid October only the few newly hatched queens remain, and these will over winter in the same way that many butterfly do.

 

One thing I do know is that they never use the same nest twice.

[C.J]

I've also heard they don't use the same nest twice.

 

Don't leave the light on ,when you go out , if you have glass in your door, or they'll come in with you

 

I think I read its the redundant drones that come to the window this time of year so may not be able to sting.

[farmer rod]

I've also heard they don't use the same nest twice.

 

Don't leave the light on ,when you go out , if you have glass in your door, or they'll come in with you

 

I think I read its the redundant drones that come to the window this time of year so may not be able to sting.

 

We seem to have a very similar setup to the op (kids are grown up though) large invasions if you leave the light on and the window open etc.

 

I have never been stung by one, or any of the family, or the dog, but our local agricultural contractor was indoors having tea the other day and got stung by one as he put his boots back on at the back door. No lasting effects but apparently painful at the time.

[sasha.p]

We had hornets in our owl box last year they didn't turn up and start nesting until the end of July their nest half filled the box by the time the winter weather arrived I was a little worried they would use the box this year but it's been left they never bothered us I have had my boys running around whilst they have been flying right over us back and forth they seem to have no interest in us unlike wasps this year they are nesting in the trees somewhere near by as I spotted their air trail heading on the one direction but chose not to follow to see where exactly they were lol

[Billhook]

I normally try and protect them or move the nest if possible but sometimes it is inaccessible.

 

We had some hornets starting to build in an unwelcome place and I just sprinkled a little ant powder near the entrance, not inside.

Ant powder has about 5% pyrethrin whereas wasp killer is over 40% pyrethrin.

 

The following morning all the Hornets had gone and there was not one dead one.

[Stereo]

Thanks all. We've kept the boy's windows shut upstairs for the last while as they find their way in. It's quite amazing to stand at the big glass door and watch them trying to get in, right up close. Probably cruel in some way I guess. But to get inches from one is fascinating. They do fly in and out and over our heads in the yard and have not hurt us yet. So I think I will leave them this year and hope they don't come back. They are quite stunning creatures and seem to not be aggressive at all.

 

Dad says it would be easy to kill them with this or that but why is that our default position? Just kill it.

 

Truce so far. Hope they keep it that way.

[Stereo]

In fact, when I think about it, I grew up in a cob farmhouse and the barn was pickled with bumble bee nests and we always thought that was amazing. We lived with them and they lived with us and although the place was humming with them, nobody ever got stung.

 

So I guess we need to see our hornet friends in the same way.

[stihlmadasever]

Hornets and humans are fine and left alone they rarely bother anyone.However they wipe out bees and have been known to eradicate entire honey bee hives of thousands in hours.Considering the plight of our native bees,hornet nests have to be controlled.Im no expert but id imagine if you have a beekeeper within a mile radius he might not take to kindly to his livelyhood being wiped out in 1 day.A healthy balance has to be maintained in any ecosystem.Id recommend getting expert advice on controlling the hornet nest.

[Eddy_t]

Hornets and humans are fine and left alone they rarely bother anyone.However they wipe out bees and have been known to eradicate entire honey bee hives of thousands in hours.Considering the plight of our native bees,hornet nests have to be controlled.Im no expert but id imagine if you have a beekeeper within a mile radius he might not take to kindly to his livelyhood being wiped out in 1 day.A healthy balance has to be maintained in any ecosystem.Id recommend getting expert advice on controlling the hornet nest.

 

 

That's Asian hornets. And regarding our 'native' bees, they ain't native, they're Spanish, ours died out in World War One.

 

European hornets, whilst being massive and scary, are relatively docile, and will warn you before attacking if you get too close to a nest. They prefer to attack a wasp nest compared to bees (as wasps put up less of a fight).