Hornet Control in Wimberley, TX
When someone in Wimberley says "hornets," they could mean a gray paper nest in an oak, a yellowjacket colony in a wall, or a giant wasp they spotted in the yard. Texas A&M AgriLife counts only one insect called a hornet in Texas, the baldfaced hornet, and even that one is really a yellowjacket. So the useful first step is to work out which insect you have, from its nest and its markings, before anyone climbs a ladder. If you would like help with that, call or text (210) 281-1064, or book a visit.
Five things people around Wimberley call "hornets" #
- Baldfaced hornet. About 3/4 inch, black with ivory-white face and tail marks, living in a closed, gray, pear-shaped paper nest that can reach 3 feet long, usually high in a tree. More on the baldfaced hornet page.
- Yellowjacket. Half-inch black-and-yellow wasps in a covered paper nest, nearly always underground or in a wall. AgriLife notes these are often called hornets. More on the yellowjacket page.
- Cicada killer. A rusty red and black-and-yellow wasp up to about 1 1/2 inches, digging holes in sunny lawns in summer. Big and loud, but it rarely stings. More on the cicada killer page.
- Red paper wasp. Rusty red, nearly an inch long, on an open comb under eaves. More on the red wasp page.
- Mexican honey wasp. Small, dark wasps on a gray paper ball in a tree canopy. Easy to mistake for a hornet nest from the ground. More on the Mexican honey wasp page.
Two famous hornets that aren't here #
- European hornet: a large brown-and-yellow true hornet of the eastern U.S. None of the sources we rely on documents it in Texas, and a 2025 review of records west of the Mississippi lists no Texas finds. See the European hornet page.
- Northern giant hornet ("murder hornet"): never found in Texas, according to the Texas Apiary Inspection Service, and declared eradicated from the U.S. in December 2024. See what a giant hornet sighting most likely is.
Gray nests in Hill Country trees #
Texas Parks and Wildlife describes the Edwards Plateau, the Hill Country that surrounds Wimberley, as juniper and oak woodland (TPWD ecoregions). Wooded lots give tree-nesting wasps plenty of limbs to hang from. Two kinds of gray paper nest turn up in branches: the baldfaced hornet's pear-shaped carton with an opening at the bottom, and the Mexican honey wasp's rounder ball. Neither source we use maps how common either is in Hays County, so a look at the insects themselves settles it.
Tree nests usually become a problem only when the limb hangs over a roof, deck, driveway or the path of a mower. AgriLife notes hornets attack less readily than paper wasps or yellowjackets, largely because their nests sit up high or out of the way.
Paper nests inside the walls of older homes #
A "hornet nest in the wall" is a different story. Census survey data for 2020 to 2024 shows 20.4% of Wimberley's homes were built before 1980 (Census ACS), and aging siding, soffits and vents open the gaps yellowjackets use to build covered paper nests inside wall voids.
If wasps are streaming into one crack in the wall:
- Don't seal, caulk or tape the opening. AgriLife's wasp bulletin warns that trapped wasps may force their way indoors (AgriLife E-239).
- Don't spray liquid into the gap.
- Keep children and pets away from that side of the house.
Treat it, or leave it? #
Leave it:
- A tree nest high up and far from where people go
- A cicada killer burrowing in an unused corner of the yard
- A Mexican honey wasp ball that nobody needs to get near
Have it treated:
- Any nest in a wall, attic or the ground near people
- A tree nest over a door, deck, play set or mowed path
- Any nest near someone with a sting allergy or heart condition
If a colony comes after you, cover your head and get into a building or car. Don't stand and swat, and don't jump into water.
How Pest Trappers handles hornet calls in Wimberley #
The technician starts by identifying the insect and the nest, since "hornet" covers so much. You then hear which nests matter, the options for each, and how the product label shapes the work. Some nests can simply wait for frost; others shouldn't wait. Pricing comes after the inspection. Pest Trappers LLC (TPCL #0887549) is family-owned and holds a Texas Department of Agriculture license. See the Wimberley service page for the other pests we cover nearby.