Anybody else have a hornet problem? (spider, young)

[scm53]

Just to be accurate, we don't have hornets in Texas. They are rarely found outside the NE. You are almost certainly talking about mud daubers which are about 1/2 the size of a hornet - and are the most common form of wasp in Texas.

[Trainwreck20]

Just to be accurate, we don't have hornets in Texas. They are rarely found outside the NE. You are almost certainly talking about mud daubers which are about 1/2 the size of a hornet - and are the most common form of wasp in Texas.

Actually, some kinds of hornets are almost everywhere in North America. There were definitely some when I lived in Houston. That said, they are typically much rarer than wasps. The four kinds of wasps that I see most often are:
Yellow Jackets - you mentioned they have yellow stripes, so this is quite possibly what you have.
Paper Wasps - very similar to yellow jackets, but smaller and (imho) less aggressive
Red Wasps - not sure what their official name is, but they are bigger than the yellow jackets and reddish brown in color.
Mud Daubers - they are very slender and build nests out of mud. The nest are a royal PITA, but they are very non-aggressive

[hoffdano]

Originally Posted by scm53

Just to be accurate, we don't have hornets in Texas. They are rarely found outside the NE. You are almost certainly talking about mud daubers which are about 1/2 the size of a hornet - and are the most common form of wasp in Texas.

With all due respect - it is hard to confuse a mud dauber with other wasps. The mud dauber has an elongated body with a long skinny "waist." Most of all their nests are made of mud.

Definitely common in this area.

[scm53]

Originally Posted by hoffdano

With all due respect - it is hard to confuse a mud dauber with other wasps. The mud dauber has an elongated body with a long skinny "waist." Most of all their nests are made of mud.

Definitely common in this area.

I think we are in violent agreement that mud daubers are the most common form of wasp in all of Texas. And that all of our wasps are smaller than hornets.

[hoffdano]

Originally Posted by scm53

I think we are in violent agreement that mud daubers are the most common form of wasp in all of Texas. And that all of our wasps are smaller than hornets.

I do not know if mud daubers are the most common in Texas. I agree that our wasps are smaller than hornets!

At my house, I have more paper wasps. But I have a lot of mud daubers, especially on my dock.

(probably enough about wasps - unless this will help keep people from moving here)

[creepy]

Yes it is common.

I have about 10 nests right now.

I hate chemicals so I have a new method. It is rather exciting. I had seen a guy do this in Ft. Worth. If it is a new nest no need for chemicals, take a brick and just smash the nest. I did this in my sons's clubhouse last week. I killed 3 nests in a row. I almost did the last 2 but they were bigger and I lost my nerve. It works well for small nests of 4 or less hornets.

If the nests are out of the way I leave em'. They vacate them eventually. we have at least 2 on the eaves of our house.

I did an experiment there was one nest attached to a piece of bamboo and i just waited till no person or animal was going to be outside for the next 12 hours and thru the bamboo into a bush. I saw the hornets out there swarming for the next couple hours(it had been a nest of about 20) but by the next day they has dispersed.

I just hate the idea of these chem companies convincing us we have to buy their possibly harmful products when often we can "old school" it.

I have the Yellow Jackets variety.

[Trainwreck20]

I am fairly severely allergic to wasp stings (but not bee or scorpion, go figure). I will take the risk of the chemicals over the risk of the wasps stinging me any day .

[hoffdano]

I agree that some nests can be safely left alone. They are beneficial insects until they sting someone.

So I get the wasp spray out for nests in areas where my family regularly moves about.

[Trainwreck20]

^That. Nests around the side of the house are no problem, I just don't want them around the doorways, mainly.

[sxrckr]

Yes, we keep getting Yellow Jackets in the chimney. They are yellow/black and aggressive.

There are also red wasps, you have to watch out for.

Dirt/Mud Daubers are basically harmless. They are black/dark brown.