Huge hornets nest high up in Shrewsbury, NJ tree

Recently, I was sent to a customer’s home in Shrewsbury, NJ to remove an active hornet’s nest that had formed in a large fir tree. When wasps or hornets build nests outside, sometimes they can just be left alone since when temperatures drop in the fall, the colony dies off except for the queen that overwinters in a protected location to start the cycle all over again in the spring. However, in this case, the tree was extremely close to the home — only about five feet away — in a high traffic area. In these cases, the nest poses a hazard to the home’s occupants and needs to be treated. Social wasps and hornets that live in colonies are territorial and can be aggressive if they perceive that their nest is being threatened. For those who are highly allergic to their venom, a sting can be life-threatening.

Upon arrival, I immediately saw that the removal of this nest would be challenging because of where it was situated in the tree. the nest was located in the branches about 8 feet up in a way where it was difficult to access the entry and exit hole of the nest with my telescopic extension pole that has an attached sprayer. This pole allows me to treat the nest while still staying a safe distance from the insects that often become highly aggressive once their activities are disrupted.  

After experimenting with different positions, I managed to find an angle for my pole to reach the nest that was partially blocked by the tree branches. I applied an aerosol that quickly knocks down most of the hornets in the nest. Of course, there can always be hornets deep in the nest or out foraging and returning that avoided the product that are ready and able to sting. After applying this product, I wait for the hornet activity to slow down. Once the nest appeared inactive, I removed the nest from the supporting tree limb and bagged it so I could take it with me. To prevent the hornets from rebuilding the nest, I treated the area where the former nest was build with a long-lasting residual product. This homeowner will no longer have to worry about a hornet’s nest that was dangerously close to their home.