Two hornet species inhabit Tennessee: the European hornet and the bald-faced hornet. Each has distinct behaviors and nesting patterns you should recognize.
Key Takeaways
Field Guide
Hornets in Tennessee: telling the two true species apart
Only two true hornets live in Tennessee, but yellowjackets get blamed for both of them. Size, coloring, and nest style separate all three.
1Can sting
European hornet
IDBrown and yellow with pale yellow abdomen markings and a reddish-brown head and thorax, reaching about one inch long.
WhereHollow trees, wall voids, attics, and abandoned structures.
NoteThe only hornet in Tennessee that flies and forages at night, drawn to porch lights and illuminated windows. Defends its nest aggressively if threatened.
2Can sting
Bald-faced hornet
IDBlack body with white or pale ivory markings on the face, thorax, and abdomen tip, around three-quarters of an inch long.
WhereLarge teardrop-shaped gray nests attached to tree branches, shrubs, utility poles, and eaves.
NoteConsidered one of the more painful stings among stinging insects; will sting multiple times and pursue a perceived threat some distance from the nest.
3Can sting
Yellowjacket
IDSmaller and more slender than hornets, with bright yellow-and-black banding.
WhereUnderground burrows or inside wall voids.
NoteNot a true hornet, but colonies become more aggressive in late summer and fall as they reach peak population.
Waynes has served Tennessee homeowners for more than 50 years as a member of the EPA Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program. Every little thing matters. A LOT.
- Only two true hornets live in Tennessee: the European hornet and the bald-faced hornet.
- Yellowjackets and paper wasps are often mistaken for hornets but belong to separate species groups.
- European hornets are the only hornets in Tennessee that fly and forage at night.
- Bald-faced hornets build large gray paper nests in trees, shrubs, and on structures.
- Both species sting multiple times and will defend their nests aggressively when disturbed.
- A professional should handle nest removal near entry points or high-traffic areas.
How Many Hornet Species Live in Tennessee
Tennessee is home to exactly two true hornets: the European hornet (Vespa crabro) and the bald-faced hornet (Dolichovespula maculata). Both are social wasps that build paper nests and defend their colonies with multiple stings. While yellowjackets and paper wasps are common throughout the state, they are not true hornets, even though many homeowners use the terms interchangeably. The distinction matters when you’re deciding how to respond. True hornets build larger colonies and often nest in locations that put them in direct conflict with homeowners. Knowing which species you’re dealing with shapes every decision that follows, from monitoring to professional treatment.How Hornets Differ from Wasps and Bees in Tennessee
Hornets are a subset of wasps, but they are larger, more aggressive nest defenders, and they build enclosed paper nests. Bees, by contrast, produce wax-based comb, rely heavily on floral nectar, and function as primary pollinators in Tennessee’s ecosystem. Most bees sting only once because the stinger detaches. Hornets and wasps retain their stingers and can sting multiple times during a single encounter. Yellowjackets are the insects most often confused with hornets in Tennessee. They are smaller, more slender wasps with bright yellow-and-black banding. They build nests underground or inside wall voids and become aggressive in late summer and fall as their colonies peak. Paper wasps build open, umbrella-shaped nests under eaves and decks. Neither species qualifies as a true hornet, though all three groups belong to the same broad family of stinging insects. Telling these species apart at a distance often comes down to size. European hornets reach about one inch in length, making them larger than any yellowjacket or paper wasp you’re likely to encounter. Bald-faced hornets run slightly smaller, around three-quarters of an inch, but their bold black-and-white coloration sets them apart from the yellow-and-black pattern most people picture when they think of wasps.European Hornets Found in Tennessee: Size and Behavior
The European hornet is the largest social wasp in Tennessee, with workers reaching one inch in length and queens exceeding that. Its coloration blends brown and yellow, with pale yellow markings on the abdomen and a reddish-brown head and thorax.
That pattern differs from the sharp black-and-yellow banding of yellowjackets, which helps with identification once you know what to look for.
European hornets arrived in North America during the 1800s and have spread throughout the eastern United States, including East Tennessee and Middle Tennessee.
UT Extension recognizes European hornets as an established species across the state, nesting primarily in hollow trees, wall voids, attics, and abandoned structures. Their nests are enclosed in a papery brown casing and can reach basketball size by late summer.
One behavior that separates European hornets from other stinging insects in Tennessee is nocturnal foraging. They fly and hunt after dark, which means they are drawn to porch lights and illuminated windows. Homeowners sometimes encounter them unexpectedly at night.
They feed on large insects, including grasshoppers, crickets, and other wasps, as well as tree sap and fruit. A European hornet nest near a living space is worth monitoring closely because the colony will defend it aggressively if threatened.
Bald-Faced Hornets Living in Tennessee Yards and Trees
The bald-faced hornet stands out among Tennessee’s stinging insects, identified by its black body and white or pale ivory markings on the face, thorax, and the tip of the abdomen.
Despite the name, it is technically a yellowjacket relative rather than a true hornet, but it is universally called a hornet because of its size, paper nest construction, and aggressive nest defense behavior.
Bald-faced hornets build large, teardrop-shaped gray nests from chewed wood fiber mixed with saliva. By late summer, a mature nest can hold 400 to 700 workers and grow to the size of a basketball or larger.
You’ll find these nests attached to tree branches, shrubs, utility poles, and the eaves of structures. The nests are built fresh each year. Queens overwinter in protected sites and start new colonies from scratch in spring.
Their sting is considered one of the more painful among stinging insects. They are capable of stinging multiple times and will pursue a perceived threat some distance from the nest.
Research on bald-faced hornets has documented that their venom contains compounds that trigger a pain response more intense than a typical bee sting, which makes nest encounters near play areas, walkways, or entry points a concern for Tennessee homeowners.
Where Hornets Build Nests in Tennessee Homes and Yards
Both hornet species in Tennessee exploit structural gaps and mature trees as nest sites. European hornets favor dark, enclosed cavities: hollow trees, wall voids behind siding, attic spaces, and the insides of old sheds. They tend to expand existing openings to fit the nest, which can cause minor wood damage over a season. If you notice large insects entering a gap in your eaves or siding after dusk, a European hornet colony may have established itself inside the wall. Bald-faced hornets build exposed aerial nests. They attach them to branches at varying heights, sometimes low enough to be at head level for someone walking through a yard. Landscaping work, mowing near hedges, and trimming overgrown shrubs are the most common ways homeowners accidentally disturb these nests. The response from the colony is immediate. In Tennessee, nest-building activity peaks from late spring through early summer as new queens establish colonies. Colonies reach maximum size and aggression in August and September. After the first hard frost, workers and the founding queen die off. Only newly mated queens survive winter to start fresh colonies the following year. Empty nests do not get reused, but a favorable nest site may attract a new queen the next season.When to Call a Professional for Hornets in Tennessee
Any nest within ten feet of a door, window, walkway, or play area warrants professional attention. Both hornet species in Tennessee defend a wide perimeter around the nest entrance, and a nest that seems inactive during the day can become active quickly if the structure vibrates or a person passes too close. Attempting to knock down or spray a bald-faced hornet nest without proper equipment puts you directly in the colony’s defense zone. Nests inside wall voids present an additional problem. Removing the insects without also removing the nest material can result in wax, honey from other insects, or decaying nest paper soaking into wall framing. For European hornets nesting inside a structure, the best approach is professional treatment followed by sealing the entry point to prevent a new colony from establishing in the same location the following spring. The EPA’s integrated pest management framework recommends a tiered approach: identify the species, assess the risk, apply treatment at the right time, and seal entry points to reduce future access. That process requires accurate identification first, which is one reason misidentifying yellowjackets as hornets leads homeowners toward the wrong treatment plan. Waynes has served Tennessee homeowners for more than 50 years and has been a member of the EPA Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program since 2004. Technicians are trained to identify hornet species before any treatment begins, target the nest directly, and recommend structural exclusion steps to reduce the chance of re-infestation at the same site.DIY Versus Professional Hornet Control in Tennessee
Small, newly established nests discovered early in spring carry a lower risk and may be manageable with a store-bought aerosol treatment applied at night from a careful distance. At night, workers cluster inside the nest and move slowly, which narrows the exposure window. Always direct the product at the nest entrance and move away quickly. Protective clothing and eye coverage are required. Never use a flashlight pointed directly at the nest: hornets orient toward light sources and will fly toward the beam. Established nests larger than a softball, nests inside a wall or attic, and any nest near a person with a known sting allergy all exceed what most homeowners can handle on their own. The University of Tennessee Extension advises that stinging insect control near occupied structures is best handled by trained professionals with appropriate protective equipment and access to professional-grade products. For yellowjackets, which are frequently misidentified as hornets in Tennessee, underground nest removal adds another layer of complexity. Yellowjacket colonies built in ground burrows or inside wall voids require products that penetrate deep into the nest. Treating the surface without reaching the colony core does not reduce the population. It often increases aggression from the workers still inside.Preventing Hornets from Nesting in Tennessee Yards Each Year
Reducing available nest sites is the most practical long-term strategy for limiting hornet activity around your home. European hornets depend on hollow cavities, so sealing gaps in siding, capping hollow fence posts, and screening attic vents cuts off their preferred nest sites before queens scout locations in early spring. For bald-faced hornets, dense shrubs and low-hanging branches offer prime nest attachment points. Keeping shrubs trimmed and maintaining a clear sight line through landscaping makes nest-building less attractive. This also makes any early-season nest visible before it reaches a size that increases risk. Additional steps that reduce hornet activity around Tennessee properties:- Remove fallen fruit from trees and garden beds, which attracts foraging workers in late summer.
- Keep outdoor garbage containers sealed and away from entry doors.
- Turn off or redirect porch lights during peak European hornet season (July through September) to reduce nighttime attraction.
- Inspect eaves, soffits, and utility entry points in early spring before colonies establish.
- Clear wood piles and debris from the perimeter of the structure to reduce harborage for overwintering queens.
