Fall Garden in Texas
September 12, 2022
The Occasional Invaders: What They Are and How to Avoid Them
November 10, 2022
Hornets 101: Fact About Hornets That Might Surprise You
There aren’t many people who enjoy having hornets, or any stinging bug for that matter, flying around their home. Despite them being a nuisance and causing an onset of fear, hornets are actually pretty interesting! We’ve got a list of facts about hornets that might give you some clarity on what they’re all about.
Hornets’ Nests
Let’s start with the hornets nest. These nests typically look papery, and they can be found outside in trees or shrubs, or in yards under an eve or deck. What you may not know is that hornets' nests are made from chewed wood and saliva and they only have one entrance/exit for the whole hive.
What are Hornets?
Not everyone knows that hornets and wasps are actually part of the same family! While you can spot the difference between them due to their black and white stripes and wider abdomen, hornets are often mistaken for a wasp species.
Hornets’ Food
Have you ever wondered what hornets eat? While they do chew on wood for their nests, their diet is actually composed of other bugs. Hornets will eat flies, beetles, and even similar-functioning bugs like bees and yellow jackets. Where growing produce is concerned, hornets are not necessarily a pest because they eat bugs that would be found chewing through produce!
Hornet Size
Did you know that hornets can grow up to 5.5cm long? That’s about the average length of a golf tee!
Hornet Sting
A hornet can sting multiple times, unlike bees. Hornet venom strength varies, but they tend to be one of the most painful stings. Not only will they sting, but hornets will actually bite at times to defend their nests or even to kill their prey. Fortunately, these stings and bites are rarely fatal to humans, unless the person stung or bitten has an allergy to hornets. Another interesting fact about hornet stingers is that the stinger is only present in female hornets. The stinger is a part of the female sex organ, so males are only able to bite their prey.
And Finally…
Our final, unique fact about hornets is that in some places in the world, they are considered a delicacy! There are some countries, like Japan, where they will fry them or eat them raw.
Whether you never think hornets are fascinating or not, we can almost all agree that we don’t necessarily want to find them nesting near our homes. If you have a hornet problem, contact Insight Pest Solutions. At Insight Pest Solutions, we are experts in wasp nest removal, which we now know includes hornets. Our highly trained exterminator team is happy to help you with all your pest problems to keep your home your own.
