One outdoor pest many people have experience with is the hornet. An old saying about “stirring up a hornet’s nest” is the last thing you want to do.

About Hornets

There are around 20 species of hornets found worldwide. That’s a lot of buzzing going on around the world. They’ve made their presence known in Asia, Africa, Europe, and here at home in North America.

Head of Household

There’s no debate when it comes to the “leader of the pack.” That would be the queen. She is the domineering force and responsible for reproducing.

Other females have tasks such as providing protection for the colony, taking care of the young, construction, and food gathering.

The male has only one specific job and that is to mate with the reigning queen; then he dies.

Hornet Life Cycle

Winter usually finds young queens along with their eggs in protected areas to weather the season. During the spring, the queens begin the process of nest building, followed by directing their workers to take over the chores.

She will continue to reproduce to ensure more workers as well as breed a new generation of drones (males) and queens.

NJ pest control services are a good way to prevent hornets from setting up household in your yard and home. When hornets are making a pest of themselves, it’s best to contact the NJ pest control specialists at Stern Environmental.