Hornet Control in Kerrville, TX
When someone in Kerrville says "hornets," they nearly always mean a nest of stinging wasps hidden inside something: a gray paper ball in a tree, a hole in the lawn, a gap in a wall or the space under a home. Only one insect called a hornet has been reported in Texas, and it is really a yellowjacket, so the useful question is which local wasp you have and how close its nest is to people. If the nest is near a door, a path, a mowing area or living space, call or text (210) 281-1064 or book online.
Three hornet names, three different answers #
Baldfaced hornet: reported in Texas, range unknown. Texas A&M AgriLife calls it the only "hornet" reported in Texas and places it with the yellowjackets (E-239). It is about 3/4 inch, black with white markings, and hangs a gray, pear-shaped paper nest, usually in a tree. No source we use says how common it is around Kerrville.
European hornet: not documented in Texas. Its records west of the Mississippi cluster in the Ozarks and eastern Oklahoma. A large brown-and-yellow wasp in Kerrville is a local species.
Northern giant ("murder") hornet: never found in Texas. TAIS states it does not exist in the state (TAIS), and it was declared eradicated from the United States in December 2024.
When a Kerrville neighbor says "hornet" #
Kerr County's website bills the area as the heart of the Texas Hill Country (Kerr County), and the "hornets" people meet here are the region's ordinary social and solitary wasps. Match what you saw:
- Small black-and-yellow wasps pouring out of a hole in the ground, a wall or a debris pile. Yellowjackets. AgriLife notes they are often called hornets. They are the ones most likely to sting in numbers. See yellowjacket control in Kerrville.
- A big, mostly orange wasp flying alone in spring. A yellowjacket queen scouting for a nest site.
- A huge wasp with a rusty head and yellow-banded abdomen, digging in sunny ground in summer. A cicada killer. Males can't sting. See cicada killer control in Kerrville.
- Rusty red wasps on an open comb under an eave. Red wasps, a kind of paper wasp. See red wasp control in Kerrville.
- A gray paper ball in a tree with tiny dark wasps. Possibly Mexican honey wasps. See Mexican honey wasp control in Kerrville.
For the full range of wasps, the Kerrville wasp sorting page groups them by where they nest.
Hidden nests in older and manufactured homes across 78028 #
The 78028 ZIP that carries Kerrville's name holds 19,744 homes in Census survey data for 2020 to 2024. Of those, 37.7% were built before 1980 and 14.0% are mobile homes (Census ACS). That matters for "hornet" calls because the nests people struggle with most are enclosed ones in hidden spaces. AgriLife lists wall voids, sheds, porches, eaves and abandoned furniture among yellowjacket nest sites, along with old rodent burrows.
On older or manufactured homes, check:
- Gaps in siding, trim and around pipes where wasps fly straight into the wall.
- Skirting vents and the space under entry steps and porches.
- Sheds, carports and stored furniture that haven't been moved in a season.
An enclosed nest is a different job #
An open paper wasp comb can often be handled while the colony is small. An enclosed nest is another matter:
- Don't plug the entrance. AgriLife warns that trapped yellowjackets may force their way into the house, and Penn State says the same of European hornets.
- Don't spray only the outside of a hanging nest. It stirs the colony up for days.
- Don't pour gasoline into a ground nest. It is a fire hazard and contaminates the soil.
- Do keep your distance. AgriLife advises treating from 10 to 15 feet in protective clothing, or hiring a professional.
- Do know the danger signs. Trouble breathing or swallowing, dizziness, vomiting, a rash or fainting after stings means medical help right away.
Most colonies die after the first hard frost, though AgriLife sources note some Texas yellowjacket colonies survive several years in sheltered spots.
How Pest Trappers handles hornet calls in Kerrville #
A technician identifies the insect, traces the nest, whether it is in a tree, the ground, a wall or under the home, and explains the options for each. Wall-void nests are treated with care around wiring, and every product is used by its label. Remote tree nests may simply be left. You get the price after the inspection. Pest Trappers LLC (TPCL #0887549) is a family-owned company working under a Texas Department of Agriculture license, and the office confirms your visit time. Our Kerrville service page lists the rest of what we do.