Stinging insects are one of the worst kinds of pests to invade your property. Not only can they inflict painful stings that swell and turn red, but there are many people who are allergic to their venom and require immediate medical attention if stung. Of those that we refer to as ‘stinging’ insects, the list is topped by those of the yellow jacket and hornet families. These pests are particularly aggressive and are capable of stinging over and over again. They are merciless if they feel you have threatened them or their nests, and they will ‘stick up for’ for each other coming to the aid of the other members of their colony. So, when you mess with one, you mess with them all. They truly are the mobsters of the insect world.
If you consider the name ‘bald faced hornet’, you may mistakenly identify these pests as being members of the hornet family when, in fact, they are a part of the yellow jacket family. Either way, these are very aggressive and dangerous creatures to mess with. Identification of these insects and their nests is very important to avoid being the focus of their attack.
Bald faced hornets are black with a distinct white marking on their face. Their thorax, abdomen, and legs also have streaks of white. These insects range in size from 13mm to 20mm, with the queen being the largest in the colony. A colony may contain 100 to 400 workers – most assuredly this is not an army you want to battle alone!
The bald faced hornet makes their nest by mixing chewed cellulose with their saliva. The papery gray nests that they make can be found nestled in treetops, bushes or shrubs, and under eaves or other protected places. They can be found as low as 3 feet off the ground or as high as 60 feet in the air. The nest itself can be up to 24 inches across and 18 inches high.
The fact that they can sting multiple times and that they come to each others aid means that bald faced hornet nests should be handled by trained professionals who have the proper safety gear and products to quickly and effectively eliminate the entire colony. Here in Tennessee, the name to trust for pest related issues is Russell’s Pest Control. Our year-round Power Platinum home pest control program is the best way to ensure year-round protection from bald faced hornets and over 30 other pests that can invade your home or property. If you desire a one-time removal of bald faced hornets, we can do that too.
For more than 45 years, Russell’s Pest Control has been protecting the people in Tennessee from damaging and dangerous pests. Our mission “To provide the highest quality pest management services to homes and businesses in Tennessee through our determined quest for customer satisfaction and employee excellence” says it all. Your satisfaction is our priority.
If bald faced hornets have decided to invade your property, give us a call. You will see just how affordable it is to have your home and family protected from these and any other unwanted pest.