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Hornet nest how to preserve?

Bowkills

Well-Known Member
2,577
85
Nw oh
image.jpeg
I find one every year it seems but never get them. Any tips to preserve them?
 

Lucky

Junior Member
494
31
Sunbury
What Gern186 said. If there dry and inside theyll last a long time. But like Giles said you tube it. Probly can spray laquer to preserve longer. But ive seen ones that were in barns that were old as shit and in good shape. We used to shoot at them with bbguns and are little youth bows and arrows and run like hell...theyll chase you for long distances we found.
 

Sgt Fury

Sgt. Spellchecker
I'm not sure how to keep them from breaking down over time but my uncle had a couple he hung in his house. He put them in a trash bag and seald it off of air to make sure everything that may be inside dies. Then would hang it up.
That’s exactly what I do...I’ve got three. When you take them out of the bag after a year, you’ll be surprised at the number of dead ones inside the bag.
 
What Gern186 said. If there dry and inside theyll last a long time. But like Giles said you tube it. Probly can spray laquer to preserve longer. But ive seen ones that were in barns that were old as shit and in good shape. We used to shoot at them with bbguns and are little youth bows and arrows and run like hell...theyll chase you for long distances we found.

Agree on the chase. I put a rock through one once and they put knots on my head faster than I could rub them as I yelped all the way home.
 

Chass

Active Member
2,172
52
The Hills
We had one right outside our house for a year or two that was active. We had the bright idea of knocking it down by throwing big rocks at it. I'm still thankful grandma caught us and whooped our asses before we were successful. The Hornets would have done us much worse than the whoopin and being drug back into the house by our ears.
 

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,835
260
Odds are the nest is abandoned by now but we haven't really had a hard freeze. Go on a cold day or in the morning after a cold night. Put it in a plastic bag and put it in the freezer for a day just to make sure. Even if some of the larvi survive they won't develop if they hatch because they have to be fed. You don't have to spray the best with anything as long as it's indoors. A guy I know that had a bunch of them would spray them with hairspray to make them tougher for when he needed to dust.
 
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Jamie

Senior Member
5,684
166
Ohio
if you do want to spray a clear coat on it, which will certainly make it a little more durable, I'd suggest using clear shellac over lacquer, alkyd, or acrylic. two or three coats will do just fine.
 
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5Cent

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
12,272
212
North Central Ohio
That queen is in the dirt and everyone else is dead if that nest is in Ohio. We have one about 30yrds out the back door right above the fire ring. I could always hear them buzzing this summer but couldn't locate it. Laughed my ass of when I saw it once the leaves dropped. Got another about 60yrds due East.

We never did anything to em. Just hung em in the barn or PA cabin porch as conversation pieces.
 
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Odds are the nest is abandoned by now but we haven't really had a hard freeze. Go on a cold day or in the morning after a cold night. Put it in a plastic bag and put it in the freezer for a day just to make sure. Even if some of the larvi survive they won't develop if they hatch because they have to be fed. You don't have to spray the best with anything as long as it's indoors. A guy I know that had a bunch of them would spray them with hairspray to make them tougher for when he needed to dust.

Hairspray may have been what my uncle used but I just couldn't remember if that was it for sure.
 
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