Getting rid of hornets is no fun at all, and it can even be dangerous. In fact, most people are best off calling a pest control company if they do notice a hornet's nest on their property. However, there is something you can do about hornets as a homeowner — prevent them! Here are some pest control tactics that will help keep hornets away.
1. Keep your shrubs trimmed.
When you get busy, it is easy to forget to trim shrubs. But shrubs are one of the top places hornets like to build their nests. They specifically look for longer branches so they have plenty of branch to hang their nests from. If you keep your shrub branches closely trimmed, you're less likely to have a hornet problem. Set a reminder in your phone to give the shrubs and hedges a shave every month, or make sure this is on your landscaping company's to-do list.
2. Repair any damage to the eaves.
When hornets build a nest in or on a home, it is often in a crack or a broken part of the eaves. Make sure you check your eaves for damage every spring, and if you see an area that is cracked or broken, seal it up ASAP. It won't hurt to spray some insecticides in there as a preventative measure in the meantime until you're able to get around to having professional repairs made. While you're at it, check for any damaged siding. Occasionally, hornets will like to build nests behind broken siding. Treat it the same way you would a damaged eave: spray it with some insecticide, and either board it up yourself or call for repairs.
3. Plant garlic and rosemary.
Hornets are not as sensitive to odors as some other insects, but they do not like the scents of garlic or rosemary. If you plant these plants around your yard, you will have less of a chance of seeing hornets all over. Garlic is best planted in the fall, and you can harvest it the next summer for some delicious eats. There are perennial varieties of rosemary that will come back year after year. Plant both plants where hornets are most likely to build nests, such as under your eaves and near trees.
With the tips above, you should be able to keep hornets away. If you do notice these pests, call a pest control company ASAP.
When you come upon an ant in your home, what do you do? Maybe you kill that one ant and then set some traps to catch any others that come with it. Perhaps you spray some insecticides along the baseboards or in other places where ants tend to congregate. Sometimes these measures might take care of the problem, but other times they don't. If ants continue to be an issue, you'll need to call a pest control company. The same goes if you are dealing with roaches, mice, or some other pest. Learn more about pest control and what these companies do as you explore this website.