What Are Hornets?
Hornets, including the bald-faced hornet (Dolichovespula maculata) and European hornet (Vespa crabro), are large social wasps found throughout North Carolina. Bald-faced hornets are black with white facial markings, while European hornets are brown with yellow markings and are active at night—unusual for wasps.
Habitat & Behavior
Bald-faced hornets build large, enclosed, gray paper nests typically attached to tree branches, eaves, or utility poles. These football-shaped nests can reach 2 feet in length and house 400–700 workers by late summer. European hornets nest in hollow trees, wall voids, and attics, with colonies of 200–400 workers.
Hornets are aggressive defenders of their nests and can sting repeatedly. Their stings are more painful than typical wasp stings due to higher venom volume. Disturbing a nest—even with vibrations from lawn mowing—can trigger a mass defensive response. Multiple stings can be dangerous even to people without allergies.
Prevention & Control
Do not attempt to remove hornet nests yourself, especially large or difficult-to-reach ones. Professional pest control technicians have the equipment and protective gear needed for safe nest removal. If a nest is in a location away from human activity, it may be best to leave it until winter, when the colony dies naturally. Hornets do not reuse old nests.