Help!!! Hornets!!!

[baldkev]

Not woodwork related, but ive got about 10 / 11 hornets that have just invaded my container workshop!! I need to go out soon, they seem to have taken up residence by the front door next to a light fitting!
Theres a couple buzzing about, the rest appear to be staying near the junction box

 

[Austin Branson]

Not woodwork related, but ive got about 10 / 11 hornets that have just invaded my container workshop!! I need to go out soon, they seem to have taken up residence by the front door next to a light fitting!
Theres a couple buzzing about, the rest appear to be staying near the junction box

Hi Kev, they do enjoy lightin the dusk. We get a lot here (Normandy), and although they do look really scary, they are not aggressive like wasps. They probably won’t hang around, but if they do can be easily killed with those cans of wasp killer. Personally, unless they move into the house, I’d probably leave them alone. Good luck. Austin

 

[baldkev]

Thanks Austin, this is in my workshop ( a shipping container ) which I'll have to lock when i leave..... so...... if they are still here, im going to end up with some really annoyed hornets in the morning!!

 

[baldkev]

i could hoover them up i guess, using the henry hose attached to a broom handle

 

[Trainee neophyte]

Turn the light out and leave the door open. If you are brave, gently persuade them to leave with with a broom or similar, but there may be consequences...

Just don't pee them off. They will almost certainly ignore you if you ignore them.

 

[Garden Shed Projects]

Make one of these with something sweet inside and leave it there while you go out. It has worked for me with wasps in the past.

 

[Blaidd-Drwg]

Make one of these with something sweet inside and leave it there while you go out. It has worked for me with wasps in the past.
View attachment 115648

I've used something similar before.

 

[Ttrees]

Only watched a wee video of a beekeeper fella doing this,
as his hives were being attacked by wasps.
He put a drop of cider vinegar into the cocacola as the bees apparently don't like that,
and keep away.

 

[baldkev]

I turned out the lights but they didnt get the message!! In the end i had to dispose of 4 of them....
I taped up the hose end just in case any managed to come back out!
When i closed the container up quite a few were outside ( at least 10 )
They had started to build a nest in the hour or so they were in there.....
Tomorrow I'll take some peppermint infused water, apparently they hate it

 

[Ttrees]

OOHHH crikey a trikey
Proper practical transport for those who bring the wolfies everywhere.
Since the cyclone isn't running yet, what about smokin them out?

 

[baldkev]

Lol, yep :s and me!! Its only firing on one cylinder at the mo, i need to clean out the carbs.... i haven't really used it since we had kids ( 9 years ago!!! )

 

[pgrbff]

If there is a group on the ceiling they are more than likely building a nest. Even if you kill most of them those that remain will be back and start again. I tried the coke bottle with no success. I have a spot on my workshop ceiling they keep coming back to. When you kill one it releases a chemical, the others become agressive and will attack. Be careful. I used standard wasp killer rather than the one that melts the nest. I let them half build the nest but I was always looking up and was concerned about losing a finger on the tablesaw.

 

[clogs]

a strong solution lemon sented washing up liquid in a big rose sprayer.......high pressure squirts does the job.....
as an ex beekeeper I know this works.....(25 hives)
Hornets in France, actualy Asiatic hornets emptied a couple of weak hive for me....
they have a preferance for meat not sweet..... although u will see em in ripe figues but not sure if they are there to catch wasps etc.....
We used to leave a light on outside our back door..... it atracted moths.....the hornets would walk up to them and take them as prey....
If they worry u take them out......not often in the UK do u get them near man.......all the nests I've seen were well away.....
I wanted to do a Biology degree in that kind of flying insects, just never found the time unfortunately...

 

[Trainee neophyte]

For a nest, ant powder is really effective. Spray it on the nest, or even just the entrance and the workers will take it in and kill everything. Harsh, but fair. Most hornet nests are in holes in trees so you can't get to them. It seems awfully late in the year to be starting a nest, so they probably were disturbed elsewhere. Or there is a glitch in the matrix.

I still have a nest in a scrap washing machine that needs dealing with, but I've been putting it off. If you're lucky I will post photos of swollen body parts after it all goes wrong.

 

[okeydokey]

Wasp spray onto the nest site and half an hour later spray again, (repeat if needed) spray so the door is behind you so you can back out easily after spraying. If it doesn't work then a wasp nest killer spray such as sold by Dyas Wilko BQ and suchlike or do this first will sort them out.

 

[Tony51]

Critter kill smoke bomb available from Amazon. Will kill all insect life inside you container.safe to use will not harm tools etc.used throughout the house for carpet bugs and in the loft for wasps with great success.
Tony

 

[Terrytpot]

BURN them, BURN THEM ALL…

 

[tomartomau]

Not woodwork related, but ive got about 10 / 11 hornets that have just invaded my container workshop!! I need to go out soon, they seem to have taken up residence by the front door next to a light fitting!
Theres a couple buzzing about, the rest appear to be staying near the junction box

Is biphentherin a registered insecticide over in the UK.
It is found in fly sprays and is residual.

 

[Trainee neophyte]

BURN them, BURN THEM ALL…

 

[nickds1]

A beekeeper writes:

European hornets, which these will be, are pretty docile unless you really annoy them.

They are dangerous to bees as they predate colonies, but normally avoid humans.

Unless you're a beekeeper with hives nearby or they are genuinely presenting a risk to you and yours, I'd leave them alone.

European hornets get a bad press because they look scary, not because they are particularly dangerous to humans.

Asian hornets, which thankfully are not yet established on the mainland, are smaller and much more aggressive; they can be identified by having a slimmer and darker body than European hornets, plus they have very identifiable bright yellow legs up to the knees. They are are a notifiable insect in that if sighted, you MUST report them:

• Stay away from their nests to avoid group attack, they do not generally sting without provocation.
• Don't run. They can fly faster than you can run and are intrigued by moving targets and consider running a provocation. Crouch low to the ground, stop moving and try to cover your head.
• Giant hornets are excited by bright colours so wear brown or black.
• They are drawn to perfume and aftershave.
• They're also agitated by the smell of alcohol.
• Sightings should be sent with a photograph and location details to [email protected]
• Do not under any circumstances disturb or provoke an active hornets' nest
• The cost of eradication on private land will be met by the Animal and Plant Health Agency, who can be contacted through Defra on the Defra Rural Services Helpline on 03000 200 301. The Helpline is open Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm. There is an out of hours facility on the same number for reporting suspicion of disease in animals. You can also email [email protected]. For Wales, contact 0300 303 8268

For the record, this is an European Hornet that I caught in a pheromone trap near one of my hives. I have big hands, so this critter was about 3.5-4cm body length. The thing next to it is a hatched queen honey bee cell.