Baldfaced Hornet Control in Fair Oaks Ranch, TX
If you have spotted a gray, enclosed paper nest shaped like an upside-down pear hanging in a Fair Oaks Ranch tree, you may be looking at baldfaced hornets. A nest high in a tree and away from people can usually be left alone. One near a door, a patio or branches you plan to cut needs a careful plan, because spraying the outside of the nest only stirs the colony up.
When a nest hangs near where your family walks or works, our line for calls and texts is (210) 281-1064, and you can also book online.
How common are baldfaced hornets around Fair Oaks Ranch? #
Honestly, nobody has documented that. AgriLife calls this insect the only "hornet" reported in Texas (AgriLife Field Guide), and Texas A&M's apiary service agrees. But none of the sources we rely on maps where it lives in the state or says how often it turns up around San Antonio or the Hill Country. Penn State describes a range covering most of the lower 48 states.
So treat any gray paper nest in a tree as worth a closer look, and don't assume it's hornets. An ID visit settles it.
Hornet, yellowjacket or paper wasp nest? #
Despite the name, the baldfaced hornet is a yellowjacket. AgriLife's description:
- about 3/4 inch, black with white marks on the face and the tip of the abdomen
- wings folded lengthwise when resting
- a nest of gray-brown paper, fully enclosed, shaped like an upside-down pear, up to 3 feet long, with the entrance hole near the bottom
- 2 to 4 combs stacked inside, and a mature colony of a queen plus 200 to 400 workers
Paper wasps build open combs you can see into. Most yellowjackets nest underground; see our yellowjacket page if the wasps are coming out of the lawn.
Planning oak trimming? Look up first #
Fair Oaks Ranch restricts when oaks can be cut. Because live oaks are the tree most often hit by oak wilt, the city allows oak trimming only from July 1 through January 31 (city website). The window opens in July, while colonies are active. Since most of a colony dies around the first hard frost, a trim after a freeze carries less risk.
Before you or a tree crew climb into an oak in July, August or September, walk around the canopy and look for a gray paper ball among the branches. Cutting or shaking a limb that holds an active nest is how people get stung. If you find one, mark the tree and have the nest dealt with before the saw comes out.
What if the nest is over a trail? #
The trails in Fair Oaks Ranch are owned and maintained by FORHA, the homeowners association, not by the city (city website). If you see a nest hanging over a trail or common area, report it to FORHA so they can decide what to do. A nest on your own lot is yours to handle.
When does a tree nest become your problem? #
Usually fine to leave: a nest high in a tree, well away from doors, play areas and paths. AgriLife says baldfaced hornets are less likely to attack than paper wasps or other yellowjackets, partly because they nest high or out of the way. The colony dies off around the first hard frost.
Time to act: a nest beside a doorway, eave or patio, over a mowed lawn, in branches you need to trim, or anywhere a household member with a venom allergy spends time.
Things not to do:
- Don't spray the outside of the nest. Penn State says it angers the colony and raises sting risk for days.
- Don't knock it down with a pole or hose.
- Don't stand and swat if they come at you. Cover your head and get indoors or into a car.
- Don't try control yourself with a heart condition or venom allergy.
AgriLife's E-239 advises treating from 10 to 15 feet away and wearing protective clothing such as a bee suit, or hiring a professional.
Pest Trappers' approach to hornet nests in Fair Oaks Ranch #
First comes a positive ID, because a tree nest could belong to another wasp. The technician then checks how high the nest is, what's under it and how it can be reached, explains the options, and uses only labeled products as the label directs. You get a price once the inspection is done.
Pest Trappers LLC (TPCL #0887549) is a family operation, licensed for structural pest control by the Texas Department of Agriculture. Ask for an appointment on the web or by phone, and the office gets back to you with a time. Learn more in the baldfaced hornet guide, or go back to our Fair Oaks Ranch page.