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Author Topic: Are bald-faced hornets a problem?  (Read 12528 times)

Offline SgtMaj

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Are bald-faced hornets a problem?
« on: May 10, 2009, 12:41:58 pm »
When I got home from the cutout that wasn't to be today, I found a bald-faced hornet setting up a paper nest under my eves by the front door.  Will they cause problems for the honeybees?

Offline HomeBru

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Re: Are bald-faced hornets a problem?
« Reply #1 on: May 10, 2009, 01:30:13 pm »
Don't know about the bees, but those suckers will fly across the yard just to sting you! They're on my very short list of eliminate-on-sight...

J-

Offline charmd2

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Re: Are bald-faced hornets a problem?
« Reply #2 on: May 10, 2009, 02:25:20 pm »
Bald-faced hornets are the nastiest creatures known to man.  i'm convinced.  Kill on sight. 
Charla Hinkle

Offline SgtMaj

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Re: Are bald-faced hornets a problem?
« Reply #3 on: May 10, 2009, 05:12:31 pm »
Well I'm convinced... Wikipedia says they're also in the yellowjacket family. 

Offline Tucker1

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Re: Are bald-faced hornets a problem?
« Reply #4 on: May 10, 2009, 09:03:04 pm »
We have a serious problem in eastern Washington with Yellow Jackets. They are aggressive little bugs. When ever I visit my hives, I find 2 or three in the area. They have never been a problem. I usually take care of them, the first chance I get.  They seem to like to be around any external feeder and spilt sugar water.  They will occasional get near the entrance of the hive, but are immediately met by several guard bees and soon leave.

As already suggested, I get rid of them as quickly as you can.

Good Luck

Tucker
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Offline annette

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Re: Are bald-faced hornets a problem?
« Reply #5 on: May 11, 2009, 02:11:05 am »
Two summers ago, they harassed the hell out of my girls.  Almost every time I went to visit them, there were a couple of hornets flying around the entrances trying to get to the girls.  The whole honeybee defense was out in full force whenever they would start to fly around. After some time they would finally pick up a honeybee from the landing board and fly away with it. I followed one that landed on a bush near the hive and watched it eat the honeybee right there. 

The bees did kill quite a few of the hornets themselves by balling them. I would find lots of dead hornets on the ground.

This only happened that summer and so far nothing this year.
Perhaps there was a nest close by

Offline MustbeeNuts

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Re: Are bald-faced hornets a problem?
« Reply #6 on: May 11, 2009, 07:51:38 am »
kill on site, but remember them suckers will attack you with a vengance also. kill them.
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Offline lenape13

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Re: Are bald-faced hornets a problem?
« Reply #7 on: May 11, 2009, 10:34:27 am »
Exterminate with extreme prejudice!  :-x  Not only are the a menace to the girls, they can cause havoc with humans, as well.  Except for the IRS, they are the nastiest things on the planet.

Offline WOB419

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Re: Are bald-faced hornets a problem?
« Reply #8 on: May 11, 2009, 01:26:53 pm »
Is the venom from a wasp/hornet similar that of a honey bee?  I suspect not but I know nothing about any bugs that are not honey bees.

Offline annette

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Re: Are bald-faced hornets a problem?
« Reply #9 on: May 11, 2009, 01:48:31 pm »
I don't know about the venom, but I heard the bite can make you cry like a baby.

Offline dpence

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Re: Are bald-faced hornets a problem?
« Reply #10 on: May 11, 2009, 01:54:05 pm »
I am not sure what use they are.  I generally get rid of them.  A couple years ago, I took a huge nest out of my mother's Mock Orange bush.  They make wild looking paper nests that some people covet for a den ornament.  We have one in our bedroom, sprayed with clear lacquer finish.  I have another one in my shop.  Makes for a conversation piece.    

David

Offline justgojumpit

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Re: Are bald-faced hornets a problem?
« Reply #11 on: May 11, 2009, 02:12:39 pm »
They are nasty buggers!  Spray them at night, when they are all in.  You don't want to be messing with their nest when they are all flying about!  I've had to deal with them too... They had me running once or twice before I got them good!

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Offline Robo

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Re: Are bald-faced hornets a problem?
« Reply #12 on: May 11, 2009, 02:51:33 pm »
Just use a bee vac or shop vac and suck them up,  nest and all.  Tape a wire hook on the end of the vacuum hose and you can rip the nest in chunks as you vacuum it.   No need to use pesticides.
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Offline jeremy_c

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Re: Are bald-faced hornets a problem?
« Reply #13 on: May 11, 2009, 07:16:48 pm »
Do Wasps, Hornets, Yellow-Jackets have good job functions as the honey bee does? I'm surprised everyone says kill them right away. I do, however, know they can be pretty agressive and are no fun!

Jeremy
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Offline fermentedhiker

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Re: Are bald-faced hornets a problem?
« Reply #14 on: May 11, 2009, 07:24:17 pm »
Do Wasps, Hornets, Yellow-Jackets have good job functions as the honey bee does? I'm surprised everyone says kill them right away. I do, however, know they can be pretty agressive and are no fun!

Jeremy

Yes they do.  Some of them are important pollinators and others are significant insect predators.  Unless they nest in a place that interferes with me I leave them alone.
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Offline Robo

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Re: Are bald-faced hornets a problem?
« Reply #15 on: May 11, 2009, 07:27:06 pm »
Wasp and hornets kill nuisance bugs like ants,flies, caterpillars,  and mosquitoes.   Wasp also do some pollination and are pretty docile and usually don't bother people.  Hornets on the other had can get pretty aggressive.   I usually recommend co-existing with wasps if at all possible.  Wasp and yellow jackets can be a little trickier to co-exist with if the nest is close to people.
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Offline MustbeeNuts

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Re: Are bald-faced hornets a problem?
« Reply #16 on: May 11, 2009, 07:33:39 pm »
I suppose in the big picture they do have a purpose, but if you have ever been wacked by a bald face hornet.you would have a serious hate on , they pack a supreme punch. it will knock you back. When I got stung I actually heard, a loud smack, or at least I thought I did, and that was on the arm. EWW man!!! , I kill them and run for higher ground. It really really hurts. !!! It's way worse than a black wasp bite. I would venture to say near 20 times that of a bee. bees are nothing compared to a bald face.  
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Offline SgtMaj

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Re: Are bald-faced hornets a problem?
« Reply #17 on: May 12, 2009, 12:41:50 am »
Well I shoo'd it away and destroyed the little nest it had started to build.  It hasn't been back since. 

Offline Scadsobees

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Re: Are bald-faced hornets a problem?
« Reply #18 on: May 12, 2009, 01:45:51 pm »
They'll set up a nest somewhere else nearby.  Chances are that you have had a nest in your vicinity before this year.  They'll mostly leave the bees alone.  In the fall, if you have a weak hive they might get the upperhand, but that hive wouldn't make it to spring anyway.

I unknowingly had a bald face hornet nest about 9 feet above my driveway in a thick spruce tree.  Never knew that they were there until the next spring when the hive started disintegrating.   They never bothered anybody or anything.

I did, however, really enjoy that year watching the hornets in the garden.  They'd hover around the cabbage and broccoli plants looking for cabbage worms.  They looked (and sorta sounded) like little Apache helicopters seeking prey.

But I won't tolerate them or any other type of wasp anywhere near where my family or I will be.

Rick
Rick

Offline SgtMaj

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Re: Are bald-faced hornets a problem?
« Reply #19 on: May 12, 2009, 01:50:54 pm »
They'll set up a nest somewhere else nearby.  Chances are that you have had a nest in your vicinity before this year.

yeah, there is a good chance they may have been in some thick pine trees nearby, and I wouldn't care if they were there again... but right under the eves by the front door was a little too close.

I did still try to kill it anyway, but missed and it flew off and didn't return.

 

anything