While out at a new customer’s home in Dahlonega, Georgia, we ran into an unexpected situation. We were discussing our pest control service options when we saw a European hornet flying under a wicker chair.

European hornets (Vespa crabro) prefer to nest in structural voids and landscaping elements. According to the Mallis Handbook of Pest Control, 10th edition, these wasps were introduced in the New York area in the mid-1800s. They can be found in 30 states! In early fall, queen wasps emerge from the dying nest, and they typically overwinter in protected voids like eaves and attics until the weather gets warm and the process of starting a new nest repeats. In this case, it was a wicker chair! While they are considered beneficial social wasps, when humans and hornets/wasps interact, their control/elimination is essential. When their nests are small, as in this case, you may not notice them until late July/August when their numbers are in the hundreds or thousands. When their nests are large, they become very aggressive to protect the nest from perceived threats. Sometimes these threats are a loud lawnmower or an accidental jarring of the nest itself.

All wasps are opportunistic feeders. They can feed on decaying animals and sweets, which they bring back to their nests to feed to the developing larvae. Keeping surrounding areas free of trash and spills of food material is the simplest way to keep them from foraging in your home or business.

In order to eliminate this small nest in a safe manner, we had to figure out a solution! The chair was not going to be thrown away, so I opted to use an all-natural wasp and hornet spray. This product does not leave a chemical residual, but instead knocks the wasps down and leaves a fresh peppermint smell!

We slowly tilted the chair over and found that it was nesting inside of the top arm rest. Thankfully, the nest only contained the queen, but it had plenty of larvae and some pupae ready to emerge. 

Within a minute of spraying the wasp was no longer a threat. If given enough time, these wasps could have seriously hurt the homeowners or their guests. Wasp control is important, not just from a nuisance standpoint, but also from a health standpoint. Wasp stings can cause allergic reactions in those who are susceptible, creating a health emergency where treatment is needed quickly.

So, if you find yourself needing pest control and wasp elimination, contact Grace Valley Pest Control today! We service the Cumming, Dahlonega, Dawsonville, and Cleveland areas of Georgia.