Angry Bald-Faced Hornets Sting Homeowner's Son in Howell, NJ

Challenge

Recently, we were sent out on a service call to a homeowner in Howell, NJ who had an issue with bald-faced hornets'. Apparently, the homeowner's son was cleaning out the gutters and didn't see the nest on the other side of the soffit. Unfortunately, he was stung several times and had to be rushed to the doctor's office for immediate medical attention. When we arrived, we spotted the soccer ball-sized nest cleverly hidden behind the downspout on the corner of the home.

One very important fact that you must know about bald-faced hornets is that they are EXTREMELY aggressive and will not hesitate to sting anything that invades their space. Their stings carry venom that makes the stings hurt, itch, and swell for about 24 hours. Humans are at the same risk of allergic reactions from bald-faced hornet stings as with other insect stings. What makes them even scarier is they have smooth stingers, which means they can sting over and over again, can actually sense vibrations in the air, and remember their invader's face!

Solution

First, we applied an aerosol application directly into the nest and then liberally treated it with a knockdown dusting application. Both of these products will rapidly exterminate the hornets. Once they were eliminated, we removed the nest, disposed of it properly, and treated the area with a residual product to prevent the bald-faced hornets' from rebuilding their nest.