Baldfaced Hornet Control in Leon Springs and The Dominion
The usual first sighting in Leon Springs and The Dominion is a gray, pear-shaped paper ball hanging in a tree, with black-and-white wasps slipping in through a hole at the bottom. Baldfaced hornets are reported in Texas, though no source says how common they are near San Antonio, so confirm what built the nest first. If it's high and away from people, leaving it is usually fine; if it hangs near a door, a path or a play area, have it handled by a professional.
For a nest that's too close for comfort, call or text (210) 281-1064, or use our booking form.
A gray paper nest in a tree: three possible owners #
AgriLife's Field Guide describes the baldfaced hornet's nest as an enclosed, upside-down pear of grayish-brown paper up to 3 feet long, with two to four combs inside and the entrance at the bottom. The wasp is about 3/4 inch, black, with white markings on the face and the tip of the abdomen.
Two other insects in this area can leave a paper ball in a tree:
- Mexican honey wasps build a rounded paper nest in tree and shrub canopies, but the wasps are tiny, about 1/4 to 1/3 inch, and mostly dark. See our Mexican honey wasp page for this area.
- Yellowjackets usually nest underground, but AgriLife notes some build in trees, eaves and other spots above ground. Their workers are black and yellow, not black and white.
An open comb with no paper cover is a paper wasp nest, a different situation altogether.
What the sources can and can't say about this area #
AgriLife calls the baldfaced hornet the only "hornet" reported in Texas, and adds that it's really a member of the yellowjacket family. Beyond that, no extension source we use maps where it lives in Texas or how often it turns up around Leon Springs. So we won't claim they're common here.
The tree line behind homes in 78255 #
Census figures show 87.3% of homes in 78255 are detached single-family houses, which means private yards with their own trees. The Army describes oak and juniper woodland bordering Camp Bullis, and much of the surrounding area sits near that edge.
Baldfaced hornet nests usually hang in trees, often high, and occasionally on the side of a building, according to AgriLife. A back fence lined with oaks gives them plenty of choices.
Distance decides: leave it, watch it or remove it #
- High in a tree, far from paths: AgriLife says these nests are better left alone. E-239 finds hornets less likely to attack than paper wasps or yellowjackets, and TAIS credits their habit of nesting high or in remote spots.
- Reachable, but not on a walkway: keep kids and dogs clear, skip mowing or trimming right under it, and check it now and then.
- By a door, eave, play set or mowed lawn: Penn State Extension points to these spots as the time to act. AgriLife says established hornet colonies should be handled by professionals.
Penn State also warns against spraying just the outside of the nest, which riles the colony and raises the sting risk for several days. AgriLife advises treating from at least 10 to 15 feet away and in protective gear such as a bee suit, or hiring someone who has it.
If stung, and who should stay well back #
The sting can be intensely painful, and like other wasps they can sting repeatedly. AgriLife notes that about 5% of people who have a large local reaction, with swelling spreading more than 2 inches from the sting, go on to have anaphylaxis later. Serious reactions usually start within 20 to 30 minutes and can become life-threatening in 10 to 15. If you're attacked, cover your head and run to a building or car; don't stand and swat, and don't jump into water. Anyone with a heart condition or venom allergy shouldn't try control at all.
How Pest Trappers handles baldfaced hornets in Leon Springs and The Dominion #
A technician confirms which insect built the nest, measures how close it is to doors and paths, and checks for others nearby. Then you'll hear whether leaving it is reasonable and what removal involves if not, with any product applied according to its label. Pest Trappers LLC (TPCL #0887549) is a family-owned company; Travis Lambert is the certified applicator. We price the work after the inspection, and the office confirms when we'll arrive. Our baldfaced hornet guide has more, and the Leon Springs and The Dominion page lists other local pests.