From window sills and trees to garages and exterior walls, there are many places where you might find a hornet nest on your Phoenix property. The first step is to locate and identify the nest, then remove it. This can be dangerous, though, so it’s always recommended that you hire a professional exterminator in Phoenix to handle hornet removal for you.
Identifying a Hornet Nest
Brown in color, a hornet nest resembles a paper-like material. As the hornets stack one layer on top of another, their nest can get fairly large—sometimes as big as a basketball. You will see at least one hole at the bottom.
Common Nest Locations
Hornet nests can be found in many places on your property, such as:
- Garages: If you tend to leave your garage door open for long periods of time, you may find a hornet nest in there.
- The Attic: Many homeowners neglect checking the attic, but this is a common spot for hornet nests.
- Inside Exterior Walls: Hornets can get inside your walls via a single crack or hole in the exterior.
- Window Sills and Trees
- Rodent Burrows in the Ground
If you’re seeing a lot of hornets but are unsure where their nest is, take some time to watch their behavior. Tracking their flight pattern will lead you right to their nest.
Tips for Getting Rid of Hornets
As mentioned above, you shouldn’t attempt removal of a hornet nest yourself, as this poses a safety risk. But if you do attempt removal, spraying is the best method.
- Dress for Safety: Wear several layers of clothing and tape the cuffs closed. Cover your face and neck with a mask, and wear gloves on your hands.
- Approach Quietly at Night: After it's fully dark, make your approach.
- Spray the Nest: Standing several feet away and equipped with long-range hornet spray, saturate the nest entrance as well as the entire structure. Retreat immediately after initial spraying.
- Wait and Monitor: The next morning, go out and check activity from a distance. If you still see hornets going in and out, repeat the spraying protocol again that night.
- Remove the Nest: Once you’re certain there has been no activity for at least 24 hours, knock the nest into a garbage bag with a pole or gloved hands. Seal it tightly and dispose of it well away from your home.
- Aftercare: Wash the clothing you wore during spraying and removal. Keep an eye on the area for a few days in case the hornets return. Spray residual insecticide in the area.
Important: Never burn the nest, flood it with water, or knock it down without treatment—these methods are unsafe and ineffective.
Contact Frontino Pest Co.
If this DIY approach doesn’t work, call a Phoenix exterminator skilled in removing hornets. Better yet, call us before you attempt any sort of DIY removal to keep yourself and your family safe. We welcome you to contact us for a free quote and inspection at 602-338-9223.