Hornets Are Highly Territorial Insects

Due to the fact that there are several wasps in one area, there will be an established hierarchy of sterile females that will defend and build the nest, and reproductive males and females that will continue on to mate and have more offspring. Hornets will build their football/soccer-shaped nests out of paper or wood pulp mixed from saliva under the eaves of houses, in attics, or in bushes and trees.

Social wasps in Houston also have a specific way that they mate. Before winter a reproductive female will mate with a reproductive male, and store the collected sperm. After hibernating for the winter, the female will build her nest and fertilize the eggs the way she chooses.

In the beginning, all fertilized eggs will produce sterile females to help with the nest, but as the queen runs out of sperm to fertilize eggs the unfertilized eggs will produce male wasps which will help to further the future population. After an egg is laid it usually takes around a week for it to hatch and then another 2 weeks to fully develop into an adult hornet.

Though hornets are not as aggressive as a yellow jacket, a hornet sting is actually more painful than other wasp stings due to a large amount of acetylcholine that is injected into the human. Hornets can sting multiple times because their stingers are not barbed and will not stick to a human the way a bee’s stinger will.

A single sting will not be a severe threat to a human unless the person is allergic and then anaphylaxis will set in. If a human comes too close to a hornet’s nest or tries to unsuccessfully eliminate it, then hornets are capable of a full-on assault resulting in hundreds of hornets attacking a single invader. If a hornet is killed then their last attempt at protecting the nest will cause them to release a pheromone that will result in the whole nest narrowing in on and attacking the invader.

If you are stung by a hornet it is best to place ice on the stung area. It is important that you clean the area often so that it does not become infected. Call your doctor or medical professional to discuss the treatment that is right for you.

Cantu Pest & Termite is proud to be the first pest control company in Houston, Texas, to offer a Cantu Green Service to our customers in search of a more prevention-based solution to their pest removal while minimizing the use of pesticides.

If hornets or other pests have made unwanted appearances around your property, call Cantu Pest & Termite and schedule a home pest control service today with one of our friendly, experienced hornet removal experts.