If hornets have nested in your garden, this is usually not a cause for alarm. We'll show you how to deal with them.
In late summer, the big hum begins in the garden. Anyone who encounters supposedly oversized bees or wasps has probably made the acquaintance of hornets. The insects are native to all of Central Europe. If they lack nesting sites, garden sheds or house walls are also used. This results in potential for conflict with people. General ignorance often leads to misconduct and the willful destruction of nests. In the following we would like to explain about the hornet and explain how living together with the animals can work without any problems.
Hornet Appearance
The hornets belong to the wasps, but they get much bigger. The females are about 3.5 centimeters long. Males and workers grow to a maximum of three centimeters. All wasps have a particularly thin spot between the chest and abdomen.
The breast is reddish brown to black in colour. There are yellow-brown to yellow-black stripes on the abdomen. The eye-catching coloring is intended to serve as a warning to potential enemies.
This graphic should clearly show the differences. Especially in size, but also in color. However, only wasps are really annoying and “dangerous” for humans. More on that below.
Building a hornet colony
Hornet nests are above ground. Tree hollows are preferred. Alternatively, hornets also populate nest boxes or build their nests in the roof beams. A hornet colony usually consists of around 300 to 600 animals. In exceptional cases, thousands of animals can form a hornet colony.
A hornet colony consists of three castes (this is how the different positions in the hornet colony are called) with different tasks:
box | Task in the hornet colony |
---|---|
Workers | Gathering Food Caring for Brood |
Drones | Insemination of the Queen |
Queen | egg laying |
The fertilized eggs hatchworkers. Drones develop from unfertilized eggs. A hornet colony lasts only one year. The workers, drones, and old queen die in late fall. Only a few vigorous young females survive the winter to start a new colony the following spring.
Are hornets dangerous?
With their size and their buzzing noise, hornets can disturb the idyll in the garden. However, panicking is neither advisable nor necessary. Hornets are not aggressive and will only sting if attacked directly.
The sting is longer and thicker, but the hornet's venom is less intense than bee venom. Even multiple stings can usually not harm us humans. Only people with allergies should be careful.
Hint: While a bee dies after being stung, hornets survive stings unharmed.
If you meet hornets gently and peacefully, you will have nothing to fear. The animals are shy and avoid direct confrontation.
While wasps flock to cake, soda and ice cream, hornets aren't interested in these treats. Hornets feed exclusively on insects, fallen fruit and plant sap.
Are hornets useful?
The hornet is a nature reserve and is therefore no different from bumblebees and bees. Hornets are quite useful animals. The brood requires large amounts of animal proteins. A colony of hornets catches between 300 and 500 grams of insects every day, helping to keep insect populations in balance.
In comparison: 500 grams of insects corresponds to the daily food of five tit families.
Pests such as horseflies and mosquitoes are destroyed. Moths, flies and spiders are also on the menu. If you discover a hornet's nest on your property, you will be less likely to be attacked by insects in the summer months. Garden plants also breathe easy and are rarely attacked by pests.
How can you identify a hornet's nest?
Hornets are increasingly settling near humans. The reason for this lies in the lack of natural nesting opportunities in forests or on meadow orchards. Nests are preferably built in cavities. The nesting sites are often laid out on trees or in attics where they are clearly visible.
Hornet nests can be recognized by their papery structure. A closer look reveals the chewed and salivated wood fibers.
Tip: Hornets only use the fibers of waste wood and do not attack living trees and shrubs with them.
The hornet's nest consists of individual honeycombs. These are provided with a compact outer shell. An opening remains free on the underside. Visually, the hornet's nest resembles the wasp's nest. Differences can be seen in the color. A hornet's nest is brown in color, while the wasp's nest is gray in color.
Do not remove hornet nests on your own!
Anyone who discovers a hornet's nest in the garden should remain calm and not act hastily. The hornet is under strict protection. It is forbidden to remove or destroy hornet nests on your own.
Relocation of the hornet colony requires approval from the local conservation authority. Resettlement is carried out by special forces or often by the fire brigade. If this is not possible, an exterminator will be commissioned in exceptional cases. Those affected incur costs of around 200 euros.
Attention: It is important that the colony is resettled at a sufficient distance from the old location. Because hornets find their way back to their old breeding ground over a distance of several kilometers.
Relocation can often be avoided. If people are disturbed by hornets, it may be sufficient to attach fly wire cages or screens. Anyone who does not comply with the requirements and removes hornet nests on their own must expect fines of up to 50,000 euros.
Tip: There is no direct danger from a hornet's nest. The nests are only inhabited for one summer - so why not just wait and see.
Hornet Handling Tips
General ignorance of hornet behavior leads to misconduct. If you scare away approaching animals with wild gestures and hit them, you have to reckon with a hornet bite.
Hornets pose no danger if the following rules of conduct are observed:
- Keep calm
- do not destroy the nest
- do not hit the animals
- Avoid vibrations on the nest
- do not block the trajectory
If you notice a hornet's nest on your property, it is best to mark the immediate area with barrier tape and inform the family. The presence of the nest poses no direct threat to children either.
Hornets are peaceful animals that never attack people without reason. A hornet is shythan a bee, preferring to retreat rather than go on the offensive.