Hornets are among the most annoying and even dangerous insect pests you can encounter on your property or out in the wilderness. As the biggest and most aggressive species of wasps, hornets have very powerful and painful stings that they can use repeatedly. They can cause severe allergic reactions in lots of people and they can even be a huge menace for beekeepers and property owners by devastating bee and other insects’ populations.
All this is more than enough reason for everyone – from the professional beekeeper to the weekend hiker – to learn how to kill hornets, what’s the difference between wasp and hornet species, what are the most common types of hornets, what attracts hornets, how to get rid of a hornet’s nest, and the many other vital tips we’ve accumulated in this article.
In this article:
- About hornets and hornet identification
- Hornet nests – how to locate and approach them?
- Primary control steps and prevention
- Call an exterminator
- Hornet nest control products
- How to keep hornets away
- Things that don’t work for immediate and effective hornet control
About hornets and hornet identification
Simply put, hornets are wasp species that are significantly larger and more aggressive than the average wasp. There are about 20 different species of true hornets in the world while there are thousands of different wasp species, with more being discovered every day. Some wasps are often called hornets even though they aren’t just because of their somewhat bigger size.
Generally, in addition to their bigger size, true hornets can also be identified by the brownish or reddish coloring that accompanies the black and yellow of their bodies. Another difference between hornets and most other wasps is that hornets generally relocate every year. A wasp nest can survive winter and can last for several years with the workers still inside, but hornet workers don’t survive most winters. Instead, only the queen hornet typically survives and resettles in a new (or the same) place next spring. This makes the worker hornet lifespan quite limited but doesn’t make them any less of a nuisance while they are alive.
So, if hornets are just overgrown wasps, then why is it important to differentiate them from wasps?
It’s actually very important to know if you have hornets near you as they are often much more aggressive and more destructive than most wasp species. Hornets are significantly higher in the food chain than wasps and bees and all other wasp species know to stay away from them.
They multiply very quickly and can set up multiple nests on your property before you know it. Add to all that the fact that their stings are significantly more painful and more venomous than those of other wasps, and they are a pest to be wary of.
Differences between the various types of hornets
Without listing all 20+ hornet species worldwide, here are the most common hornet species you may encounter and the key differences between them.
- Physical characteristics – Brown and yellow abdomen, reddish wings, around 25mm worker length.
- Habitat – You’ll find that these hornets nest in tree branches and other elevated places such as buildings.
- Danger level – Less aggressive and less dangerous stings than most other hornet types. Still, their stings can cause a severe allergic reaction.
- Geographical presence – This species is mostly found in Europe and North America. It’s the only true hornet species that are commonly found in NA.
- Dietary preferences – This is a mostly carnivore hornet species so they are quite a problem for beekeepers as they can devastate their beehives. At the same time, this hornet can sometimes be a beneficial insect if it has directed its attention to other pest insects on your property.
- Physical characteristics – The black or bald-faced hornet is actually a yellow jacket wasp but is often called a hornet. It’s mostly black with a whitish yellow head.
- Habitat – Unlike other yellow jackets and similarly to hornets, this species builds its nests on trees and other elevated areas.
- Danger level – The black hornet is highly aggressive and dangerous.
- Geographical presence – This is a common wasp species in Canada and the U.S.
- Dietary preferences – This is a mostly carnivore hornet species so they are quite a problem for beekeepers as they can devastate their beehives. At the same time, the black hornet can sometimes be a beneficial insect if it has directed its attention to other pest insects on your property.
Asian giant hornet
- Physical characteristics – This is the world’s largest hornet. Worker hornets can get up to 45mm in length with a wingspan of up to 75mm. They have reddish wings and black & yellow abdomen.
- Habitat – These hornets nest in ground tunnels, usually co-opting rodents’ tunnels.
- Danger level – These are extremely dangerous hornets.
- Geographical presence – The Asian giant hornet is common for the tropical regions of Eastern Asia.
- Dietary preferences – This species is a mostly carnivore hornet. They feed on any insect they can kill which is most of them. They are a huge pest problem for beekeepers and they feed on both bees and their honey.
- Physical characteristics – The smaller brethren of the Asian giant hornet, this species’ workers are about 20mm in length. They have a brownish thorax and yellow legs.
- Habitat – They nest in trees and other elevated places.
- Danger level – These hornets are quite aggressive and have very painful stings.
- Geographical presence – The Asian hornet is common not only in Asia but in Europe as well where it’s a much-hated pest by beekeepers and property owners.
- Dietary preferences – This is a mostly carnivore species and its preferred prey is bees as well as their honey.
- Physical characteristics – Ground hornets or “Cicada killers” are not a true hornet species but are known as such. They can get up to 50mm in length and they have bright yellow and black markings.
- Habitat – As their name suggests, these wasps build their nests in the ground, usually in rodents’ tunnels or in loose soil. They also build nests in walls and the foundations of houses.
- Danger level – These wasps are highly aggressive and a dangerous nuisance for property owners.
- Geographical presence – They are common in the New England area of the U.S., as well as in its southern states.
- Dietary preferences – As the “Cicada killer” nickname suggests, these are mostly carnivore wasps.
- Physical characteristics – The Oriental hornet has a thinner body and a yellow-brownish coloring.
- Habitat – These hornets prefer to build their nests underground.
- Danger level – This isn’t a very aggressive species but they are also not afraid to fight off people who get close to their nests. They have an often infections sting so stay clear of their nests.
- Geographical presence – This species is common in Southwest Asia, Northeast Africa, Southern Europe, the Middle East, and has also been brought to Mexico.
- Dietary preferences – This is a mostly scavenger hornet that thrives on consuming dead insects and animals. This is why the Oriental hornet often spreads dangerous infections and diseases.
- Physical characteristics – The Paper hornet is also not a true hornet but a wasp species that are just commonly known as a hornet. It’s an aggregate of over 300 paper wasp types, all with mostly black and yellow bodies.
- Habitat – These wasps build their paper-like and open nests in trees and other elevated locations.
- Danger level – This isn’t an overly aggressive type of wasps and they aren’t as dangerous as most of the hornets on this list. Still, they will defend their nests fiercely, so steer clear.
- Geographical presence – The various paper wasps/hornets species are common all throughout the world, including in North America where you can find 22 of them.
- Dietary preferences – Paper wasps/hornets are omnivores that eat both plant nectar and insects such as caterpillars, flies, and beetle larvae. Because of that and their pollinating effect, they are often viewed as a beneficial insect by most gardeners.
Hornet nests – how to locate and approach them?
Hornet nest identification is the first and most important step for dealing with hornets. Because hornet queens are on their own at the beginning of the spring, they have the difficult task of establishing their new nest from zero every year. So, if you manage to spot a hornets’ nest in the very beginning of spring you’ll be able to deal with it much more easily and safely. The problem is that hornets’ nests are very small and hard to spot at that stage.
Typically, hornets’ nest high on tree branches or on buildings’ walls and inside corners. There are some ground hornet species but most of them are actually wasps and yellow jackets. Regardless, ground hornet or wasp nests are usually situated in soft soil or in rodents’ holes so it’s fairly easy to make sure that you won’t have ground hornet problems – just take good care for your property’s soil and it will be unsuitable for ground hornets and wasps.
As far as tree nesting hornets, however, that’s a different story altogether. They can nest anywhere as long as it’s an elevated surface. Their nests start small, like a golf ball, which makes them very hard to spot especially when they are hidden behind trees’ leaves. If you can, always inspect the trees and structures in or around your property every spring – the sooner you notice the hornets’ nest, the better. If you suspect that there is, in fact, a hornets’ nest near you, then approach it with extreme caution even if it’s still early spring. Here are some tips for how to approach or examine a hornets’ nest:
- Don’t get close during the day – instead, approach the nest during the small hours of the night, usually just before dawn. That’s when most hornet species are least active.
- Don’t use a white or yellow light flashlight – it wakes and agitates hornets which is the last thing you should want. Instead, use a red light flashlight as hornets don’t’ see red light too well. You can simply place red cellophane over a regular flashlight.
- If you’re unclear as to where the hornets’ nest is but you know it’s near, use baits. Simple baits of sugar syrup or other dead insects can easily attract the attention of hornets, as well as wasps. Once they find the bait, simply tract their flight back to their nest.
- Keep your distance! Some of the more aggressive hornet species can feel aggravated enough to attack even if you are several yards away. Use binoculars if you have to but keep your distance.
- Use physical location markers. Pinpointing the exact location of a hornets’ nest can sometimes take days. Use physical markers such as poles or other objects to mark what’s the last area you’ve spotted hornets at the day before.
Primary control steps and prevention
Hornet prevention and control go hand in hand. Hornets and their nests aren’t something that you can just spray and be done with them. Hornet removal requires extensive and prolonged efforts regardless of whether you’re trying to get rid of hornets naturally, to remove a hornet’s nest physically, or you want to destroy a hornet’s nest chemically.
So, here are the primary control and prevention steps to keep hornets away from your property:
In order to make sure that the hornets you’re dealing with won’t resettle elsewhere on your property, as well as that other hornets won’t settle there at all, outdoor sanitation is key. Here are the main guidelines to follow for an effective anti-hornet outdoor sanitation:
- Cover up all outdoor garbage containers as food leftovers often attract hornets.
- Don’t leave pet food or other foot leftovers outdoors for the same reason – it contains meat and most hornets are carnivores.
- Seal any holes in the exterior of your home and other structures in your property as they are suitable nest sites.
Seal any holes in the ground left behind moles, voles, or other rodents – these too are suitable nest sites for ground-based hornet and wasp species.
- Remove outdoor clutter such as trash, excess building materials, old sheds, unnecessary stones, etc. – such piles of clutter also make for suitable nest sites.
- Remove all typical hornet food sources – dead animals, food leftovers, other insects. Hornets are sometimes kind of beneficial insects since they can prey on other insect pests. However, you’ll usually want neither on your property so it’s best to deal with your insect pest problems on your own and not attract hornets as well.
Hornets don’t usually nest indoors with the slight exception of some ground hornet and wasp types that can nest in the walls or foundations of structures. However, hornets can often fly inside your house in search of food, so indoor exclusion is also very important. Here are some tips:
- Make sure all door and window cracks are sealed. Hornets may be large but they are still quite nimble and can fit through some very small spaces.
- Make sure all window screens are in good condition and don’t have any holes. Window screens are your best friend against a lot of insect pests and hornets are no exception – make sure that your screens up to par at the beginning of spring.
- Keep garbage containers sealed and away from entrances. As above, these often offer a lot of potential food sources to hornets and other insects.
- Rinse recycling materials before throwing them in the garbage container. This is also a good eco-friendly tip in general, but it’s also essential for hornet exclusion and prevention.
Avoiding hornet stings
This may sound like a no-brainer, but you’ll also want to make sure that you’re not attracting the attention of hornets to yourself while you’re outside. Most wasp species are usually more notorious for bothering people outside, rather than hornets, because wasps are more attracted to sweets such as our sugary drinks, fruits, etc. Hornets are mostly carnivores but they too can be attracted to us when we’re outdoors. Here are some things to avoid when you’re outdoors if there are hornets nearby:
- Sugary and sweet foods. They are more attractive to regular wasps than they are to the predatory hornets but most hornets are still omnivores and sometimes take interest in sugars.
- White clothes. Hornets are attracted to bright colors and are known to land on bright surfaces. It’s unfortunate that we usually want to wear exactly bright clothes during the summer months but that’s ill-advised if there are hornets nearby.
- Perfumes and other fragrances. There are multiple research papers done by institutions such as the Tamagawa University in Japan or the Cornell University in the U.S. that have identified certain chemicals in perfumes that are similar to the chemicals in many hornets’ venom. One such example is the 3-methyl-1-butanol compound that immediately triggers the aggressive impulses of hornets and wasps alike. Additionally, some of the most “sweet” smelling perfumes can also attract the attention of wasps and hornets for the opposite reason.
Call an exterminator
Whether we like it or not, the best option for effective hornet nest removal is usually to just call professional hornet exterminators.
The simple fact of the matter is that hornets are very dangerous, extremely aggressive, and quite numerous, especially in the summer or autumn mounts. Bothering a hornets’ nest can easily anger hundreds if not thousands of hornets and you don’t want to do that without an escape plan.
Professional hornet exterminators know all the key tricks and insights on how to deal with a hornets’ nest quickly, effectively, and efficiently. Skilled professional exterminators will not only do the job much faster than most people would, but they will also be able to give you specific and personalized control and prevention advice that’s tailored to your specific property and circumstances. This will not only solve your hornets problem in the quickest and most effortless way possible, but it will also help you to never have issues with these pests every again.
Hornet nest control products
If you’re set on dealing with the hornets menace on your own, then let’s take a look at arguably the trickiest and most important part – dealing with their nest. As with most other colony-based insects, hornets have a queen at the heart of their nest that’s spending most of her time laying new eggs for the workers to take care of and provide nutrition for. Killing the queen is, therefore, the most straightforward and – usually – most effective way to make sure that you’ve dealt with the hornets problem.
Hornet poisons (insecticides)
Pesticides and insecticides are a complicated subject in most cases as they are chemicals with a vast myriad of side effects and often unintended consequences. The National Pesticide Information Center provides plenty of general information on pesticides and their use, and the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), like other similar governmental bodies in other countries, makes sure that only allowed active ingredients are used in commercially sold hornet insecticides. Some of the more common active ingredients you’ll find in these products include Tetramethrin, Phenothrin, Geranio, Lambda-Cyhalothrin, Prallethrin, and others. Needless to say, attempting to make your own hornets insecticide is very ill-advised and should always be done after a consultation with your local environmental agency.
Aerosol sprays and foams
Aerosol spray and foam insecticides are among the most common products to use against a hornets’ nest. Such hornet nest spray or foam products are meant to be applied from a distance and mostly on the nest’s entrance point. Hornet nests typically have only one entrance – at the lowest point of the nest or sometimes on its front. This actually works in our favor so never try to break a hornet’s nest or create more holes in it.
Instead, spray the aerosol or foam insecticide generously on the nest’s entrance so that every hornet that passes through it gets a significant dose of the insecticide. This will not only kill the hornets themselves but will also effectively spread the insecticide inside the nest through all the movement of the angered but also affected workers.
Keep in mind that even the best hornet spray or foam will work quickly but not instantaneously, so you’ll have to protect yourself from the angered hornet swarm. Do your best to apply the product from a distance, to do it in the small hours of the night (before dawn), and to wear full-body protection. Having quick access to shelter is also vital.
Residual liquid insecticides
This product group is similar to aerosol sprays but is in liquid form and is meant to work more slowly. Residual insecticides are deliberately made this way so that the insects are given time to spread the insecticide more thoroughly throughout their nest. If you want to make sure that the worker hornets will get the insecticide to the queen and her eggs, a residual liquid insecticide can pretty much guarantee it.
As with the aerosols and foams, apply the liquid insecticide on the entrance of the hornets’ nest. This will force the insects to pass through it when they fly away or when they go back inside.
It should go without saying that you’ll want to be exceptionally careful when using this insecticide directly on a hornets’ nest – the same precautions as the ones for aerosols and foams apply here as well.
The residual effect of the insecticide also means that it will keep working for several days after its application. For that reason, you can use residual liquid insecticides on other places away from the nest and still have an effect. You can apply the insecticides on hornet baits, for example – the insects will get the insecticide when they land on the baits and they will bring it to their nest, eggs, and queen themselves. This is a much slower approach, however, and it runs the risk of affecting other insects, as well as other wildlife, pets, or kids.
Hornet foggers and bombs
Foggers and bombs should be used for hornets much in the same way they are used against other insects – indoors, in enclosed spaces, for at least a couple of hours, with all people, kids, and pets evacuated, and with a long airing period after that. Since hornets rarely nest indoors foggers and bombs aren’t the go-to solutions for them, however, in cases where they’ve settled in your home’s or another structure’s walls or foundations, a fogger can be effective. Just remember to follow the fogger’s instructions to the letter, as well as to give the insecticide enough time to air out after using it.
Foggers and bombs are messy, situational, and with a lot of side effects, but if your circumstances call for it, a good fogger can sometimes be the best wasp and hornet killer you can use.
Insecticide dusts and powders
Insecticide dust and powders work in a similar way to sprays and foams – they need to be applied in or on top of the nest’s entrance so that they can affect and kill as many hornets as possible. The problem with dusts and powders is that they can’t be sprayed from a distance, they need to be applied from up close. This makes them very impractical for most situations, especially for nests on trees or on top of external walls.
Where dusts and powders can shine is inside of walls, floors, and floorboards. These locations are usually poorly accessible for foams, sprays and liquid insecticides, however, puffing a dust or a powder inside of them can give you good coverage. After all, you really don’t want to physically open a wall or a floorboard if you know for a fact that there is a hornets’ nest behind it.
Yet, while puffing insecticide dust or powder this way can be effective, it’s still very risky. Hornets get very angry very quickly whenever someone’s messing with their nests and if you are close – which you’ll need to be to use the powder or dust – they can attack with lightning speed. Always use protective gear when using insecticide dust or powders against hornets, and always have an escape root and a shelter to go to.
How to keep hornets away
Now that we’ve covered the best products and methods for dealing with a hornets’ nest, let’s take a look at how you can deal with individual hornets. Often times you’ll encounter hornets while you’re outside hiking, camping, in someone else’s property, or even in your own yard but with the nest just outside of your property. In these cases, you’ll still need to deal with the insects themselves in an effective manner even though you won’t be able to deal with their nest.
Hornet insecticides – aerosol hornet sprays
Just like there are aerosol sprays and foams that are meant to exterminate entire nests, there are also kill-on-contact aerosols that are meant for individual hornets. They are fast acting, and they are effective at killing the insect without having to hit it or come in contact with it in any way.
On the negative side, keep in mind that even the best aerosol hornet spray won’t have 100% effectiveness at all times. The way you handle the spray will have a large role to play for its effectiveness – if you hit the hornet only slightly you’ll likely just anger it and give it time to attack you. Hornets, unfortunately, are intelligent enough to determine that you are the source of the spray and that you should, therefore, be attacked.
So, with that in mind, never try to use an aerosol spray on a hornet that’s in flight – you’ll almost certainly miss and agitated the insect. Instead, use such sprays while the hornet is standing still on a flat surface. Make sure that you’re far enough to have time to reach if it flies toward you but that you are still close enough to spray it well.
Hornet traps are a great way to keep your property free of wandering hornets. They are best used if there is a hornets’ nest nearby but out of your reach (in a neighbor’s property, for example) or in the spring when the hornet queen is still alone and has to feed herself before she nests. Trapping and killing a hornet queen in the early spring is one of the best things you can do when it comes to hornets’ control and prevention.
Even aside from that, however, a good hornet trap can kill hundreds of hornets and keep the area around your home free of these pesky fliers. It can even be effective at starving a nest out and preventing it from growing while you’re preparing to deal with it. After all, the fewer buggers there are in the nest, the easier it will be to manage the situation. The best hornet trap is the one that attracts lots of hornets, traps at least dozens or even hundreds of them effectively, and requires little maintenance in the meantime.
As far as baits are concerned, hornets are typically omnivore but are quite predatory. For that reason, high protein baits are quite effective at attracting their attention, especially in the spring and autumn months. Nectar-based baits can also work well in the summer months but they can also attract bees and other beneficial insects. Instead, a meat-resembling protein bait can be used to attract hornets in particular. Even something light beer has been demonstrated to be very effective on certain hornet types. Keep in mind that there are different types of hornets and bees out there too, so research about the exact species you’re dealing with and what’s the best bait for them.
Physical traps with entry holes
Physical traps work on a very simple principle – they are containers of various different shapes and sizes that have a liquid and highly scented bait inside of them. The traps are littered with small entry holes for the hornets to pass through but the holes are funnel-shaped so that once the hornets are inside, they can’t get back out. This way, the hornets will remain trapped inside and will either drown on the bait liquid or will simply stay inside until they die of exhaustion and hunger. A good entry hole trap will have the perfect sizes holes for hornets, will be of a bright color so that it attracts their attention, and will be big enough to fit a great number of insects. For maximum success rate, place the trap near the standard food sources of the hornets on your property.
The traditional glue traps are as effective for hornets as they are for most other pest types. They are simple plastic, cardboard or metal surfaces that are covered in a strong adhesive with a scent that attracts hornets. Once the insects land on the adhesive surface, they get stuck on it and can’t fly away. They eventually either die of exhaustion or literally rip their bodies apart in their efforts to get away. It’s a rather gruesome way to kill something that’s often criticized when used against certain other pests, but few people seem to shed tears for hornets and wasps.
The success of a glue trap is determined on several factors – location, bait attractiveness, and glue strength. As with the previous trap type, glue traps need to be set near the hornets’ food sources or nests. The bait scent needs to be strong enough to catch their attention, and probably most importantly – the glue needs to be powerful. Hornets are exceptionally strong insects so a medium-strength adhesive can sometimes let them escape if they have touched it only lightly.
As you can see, both of those trap types are relatively simple in their design so they can easily be made at home too. DIY hornet traps can be as effective as commercial ones and also give you the opportunity to make them as big as you want or with a specific design.
Still, remember that the quality of the trap is essential – if the holes of the container trap or the adhesive of the glue trap aren’t up to par, then they won’t be doing their job well enough.
Hornet repellents aren’t something that you hear often about and that’s because they aren’t really a thing. Standard bug repellents can work on hornets, however, so they are worth a mention. Whether for window screen treatments to keep the hornets from attempting to enter your home, as standard table bug repellents to keep the hornets away from your garden or patio table or as body repellents to keep them away from you while you’re outside, bug repellents can have some effects on hornets as well.
Commercial bug repellents
Standard DEET, SS220, Picaridin, or Dimethyl carbate repellents have been shown to have an effect on some hornet species. They aren’t as effective against hornets as they are against other insects, but they are better than nothing. Benzaldehyde-based repellents are good against bees and can also have an effect on hornets. Repellent screening is also done on a larger scale when hornets and wasps need to be kept away from beehives, as this research points out.
Natural or homemade bug repellents
Natural hornet repellents are much less effective than commercial ones as they are generally weaker. Essential oils such as citronella, lavender, pennyroyal, and some others can have an effect on hornets but they aren’t as powerful as SS200, Picaridin or DEET, and they last less. Still, they are worth using if they are all you have at your disposal.
Physical protection against hornet stings
Last but not least, let’s quickly cover some of the main protection products you should be using when dealing with hornets. We mentioned several times that you need to wear protection when combating hornets and their nests, but what is it?
- Full-body suit. It may sound silly if you haven’t dealt with hornets before, but a full-body suit can be a life-saver when you’re trying to spray insecticide on a nest full of hundreds of temperamental giant hornets.
- Face mask, goggles, and helmet. You head will be at as much risk as the rest of your body but it’s even more painful and dangerous to get stung there. Make sure your entire head is perfectly protected. If even a single hornet manages to get inside your helmet, mask or goggles, it can sting you multiple times.
- A long-distance sprayer. If the aerosol spray, foam, or liquid insecticide don’t come with their own sprayer, go get a long-distance sprayer from a farmer’s market. These sprayers will allow you to spray the hornets’ nest from a distance which can buy you life-saving seconds of spraying before the hornet swarm reaches you.
Things that don’t work for immediate and effective hornet control
There are lots of other things, methods, and products that people use against hornets and their nest, but most of them are either not useful or are simply not effective enough. Here are some things to avoid:
- Attempting to remove or relocate the hornets’ nest. This seems like a humane thing to do but a hornets’ nest is not something you want to handle, especially if you’re not a professional. It’s exceptionally risky and even if you somehow pull it off, the hornets can easily repopulate the area again.
- Vinegar as a repellent. Vinegar is used to repel lots if insect but most hornets don’t mind it too much. Plus, it’s even a known bait for the German yellow jackets.
- Mothballs. Just no.
- Fake hornet nests. These are often used for tricking wasps not to nest in an area but they are not that effective against most hornet types. Hornets, as the dominant force in the Vespidae family, have no qualms about invading another nest’s property.
- Hornet repelling plants. You can also make your garden or property more hornet-unfriendly by planting a lot of plants that hornets and wasps are known to dislike – citronella, pennyroyal, eucalyptus, marigolds, wormwood, basil, and pitcher plants. However, don’t think you can rely on this as a good enough solution as most hornets will still find a place to nest near you.
Hornets are dangerous, aggressive, and they don’t hesitate to attack when provoked. This means that your best course of action is to make sure that your property is as uninviting to hornet queens in the spring as possible – sanitation, exclusion, traps, and frequent property inspections for newly formed hornet nests are all a must.
If you do find a hornet’s nest, and especially if it has had the time to grow, then the best solution is often to just call a professional for help. Exterminators can typically solve the hornet problem much quicker, safer, and more effectively than the average homeowner. If you want to try and deal with a hornets’ nest on your own, then be very careful and use a combination of products and methods – chemical insecticides for the nest, physical protection for yourself, and traps for a couple of days before that to reduce the hornets count as much as possible.