When someone has “stepped into a hornet’s nest,” that means they’ve unintentionally wandered into a violent or contentious situation. We say someone has “stirred up a hornet’s nest” when they provoke an attack from spiteful enemies or vociferous critics.  “Madder than a hornet” is another colloquial expression used to describe a fit of bad temper.

You get my drift. These sayings persist in our language for a reason. And that reason is hornets. These are not insects you want to mess around with.  Hornets are large, strong, aggressive insects and their sting is severe.

It’s no wonder then that anyone would be horrified to suddenly see one of their huge muddy brown tornado-shaped nests clinging to the eaves of their home. It is especially ominous now during the summer when kids are home from school and you may have small children running around the yard busy at play. A full hornet’s nest hanging over their heads is like a ticking time bomb. And heaven forbid one of the little tykes spotted it and decided to swat at it like a piñata.

Hornet nests may contain thousands of wasps which are extremely aggressive when disturbed. The nests are often located out of reach and removal is best accomplished by a professional NJ, NYC pest control firm.