Eugene Makovec wrote:
>
> Today I talked to a lady who has a beautiful hornet's nest in a bush in her
> yard.  I told her I'd get rid of it for her.  Can anyone tell me how I can
> get rid of the hornets without destroying the nest?  Also -- what's a good
> way to preserve the nest so I can keep it?
>
> Eugene Makovec
>  Kirkwood, MO
 
Hi All:   This is an easy question.  In the late fall the hornets will
produce several queens, which will fly their mating flights, and shortly
after reaching mature status, they leave the nest, find refuge in a
neighborhood compost pile (either manmade or natural). If uncovered by a
compost needing gardener, the queen will be very sluggish, won't fly or
sting unless quite it is quite warm, and will cover herself back up if
given half a chance.  Finally, she emerges, selects a nest site, begins
to build a new nest, raise brood (very slowly), accumulate her offspring
to help her, and the colony will slowly grow in size and strength
(often feeding her young on your honeybees).
 
The colony she came from slowly stagnates, cannot tolerate freezing
weather and has no stores as cold weather kills their insect prey.
While hornets do feed some on scuppernongs, fall fruit, etc, their death
is inevitable even this far south.  They rarely sting unless their nest
is bothered by passersby, or an unwary person stumbles onto it.   After
the colony's life is gone (NONE flying),  clip it down with its branch,
no preservation needed.  If unsure its completely dead, one can spray it
with a pressurized can of "Bee, Wasp, and Hornet Spray"  from
supermarket shelves before taking it down.  Let it dry well, and it will
keep for a very long time without changing color or deterioration.
WARNING:  Don't play games with them until one is sure they are all
dead!  They have a mean sting!
 
Robert Barnett
Birmingham, Al