How to Kill Stray Hornets

Stray hornets can be dangerous around people, especially if someone is allergic to hornet stings. Multiple stings can even be life threatening to people who are allergic to the venom. Knowing how to safely kill stray hornets and how to check for nests causing stray hornets to be around homes will help eliminate any possible hornet problems.

Things You'll Need

  • Water
  • Vinegar
  • Lemon Oil
  • Detergent
  • Insecticides
  • Safety Equipment
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Instructions

    • 1

      Fill a bucket with water, vinegar, detergent and lemon oil. These ingredients will attract stray hornets to the bucket. They will get caught in the water and drown. Once they drown, they can be disposed of by dumping out the water in an appropriate place. Place the bucket of ingredients anywhere that stray hornets have been seen.

    • 2

      Spray any stray hornets that are found inside a home with the proper insecticide. Sevin or Ficam are commonly used to control hornets. Raid Wasp and Hornet Killer is a popular in-home brand to use. All of these products can be found in a hardware store or online. If using a different brand or a general insecticide, make sure it specifically says it can kill hornets on the label. Slowly and carefully approach a stray hornet to avoid being stung. Spray the hornet with the insecticide and it should perish quickly.

    • 3

      Check around the property to see if any nests are present. If nests are present, they are probably the cause of stray hornets being around the home. When doing this, make sure you keep a safe distance away from any active nests. Also wear long sleeve clothing, pants and gloves for protection. It is OK to even wear a fully protective suit to make sure no stings occur. Hornets that have nests in trees and in homes are easily seen around sunset, flying around their nest. Hornets also can live underground, making it important to check for underground burrows.

    • 4

      Eliminate nests to prevent stray hornets from being around a home. Nests should be destroyed at night when all of the wasps are together inside the nest. Dress in proper protective clothing including gloves, long-sleeved clothing and eye protection. Spray the nests with a fast-acting insecticide such as Sevin or Ficam to kill all the hornets. Make sure the entrance of the nest is sprayed thoroughly. Once there are no hornets left alive, the nest can be taken down with a long stick and burned. Underground hornets need to have the insecticide poured into their burrows, and the entrance to the burrow needs to be covered with a bucket or other covering piece to prevent hornets from escaping.

    • 5

      Call a professional to eliminate more than one nest or a large number of hornets. Professionals can eliminate them all in a quick manner, and are normally a better option than trying to eliminate hornets on your own. Professionals also can get the job done safely and without any risk to the homeowner.