Hornet

Vespa crabro
Hornets chewing bark from a branchHornet Hornet and coin

An uber large wasp you can hear flying past your head. There is no one insect which drives more fear into people here in the UK than the Hornet Vespa crabro, in actual fact you are more likely to have a worse reaction to a wasp sting than a hornet.

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  • Risks

    Reactions to Hornet stings vary greatly, for some of us its comparable to stinging nettles, others suffer more with quite extreme localised swelling and in the worst cases Anaphylactic Shock.

    Anaphylactic shock kills approximately 12-15 people each year here in the Uk. If you are sensitive to wasp stings and are stung, seek medical assistance immediately. If you are unsure as to how you may react to a sting it is advisable that you have nests destroyed professionally.

  • Treatment

    Hornets nests can be treated by with an insecticide contact dust at the entrance to the nest site. Alternatively we can apply a insecticidal spray directly into the nest. Results usually take two to three hours.

  • Life Cycle

    Queens come out of hibernation in the spring and find a suitable nesting site, she creates a wood mulch paper nest in tree hollows, lofts and cavaties.

    All the eggs hatch into sterile workers, unitl the end of summer when males and fertile females hatch out provide next years queens. The males, sterile workers and last years queens will all die when winter sets in.

    They feed upon other insects including Bees, spiders and flies. They are also to be found eating/drinking tree sap and fallen fruit (apples etc).

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