How to get rid of hornets feeding on fruit - Ask Extension
At first, I only had a few of these insects, which I think are hornets that feed on fruit that I grow. They nest in the ground in many separate holes,...
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How to get rid of hornets feeding on fruit #925529
Asked March 06, 2026, 12:51 PM EST
At first, I only had a few of these insects, which I think are hornets that feed on fruit that I grow. They nest in the ground in many separate holes, and are quite large often an inch or larger. Now they are a nuisance eating many of my figs and destroyed all my pomegranates last fall. I want to know what they are and how to get rid of them
Howard County Maryland
Expert Response
The wasp pictured is a European Hornet, and they nest in cavities like tree hollows, not in the ground. Yellowjackets (smaller, and without the reddish-brown coloring) can nest in the ground and will also take advantage of easy-access sugar sources like fallen fruits. You can learn more about their habits and life cycle in our Social Wasp web page.
There is no effective way to repel existing wasps or keep them from starting nests in an area they find suitable, but they usually leave people alone who don't disturb the nest or swat individual workers. We realize that having wasps near fruit plants may increase the risk of unpleasant encounters, though. The only way to keep them away from fruits is to physically block their access with netting or bags secured around ripening fruits, and removing all fallen fruits so they don't attract foraging wasps.
Apple fruits, for example, can be bagged based on the guidance on the linked page, while fig plants can be netted with insect netting, tulle, or other fabrics that are open-weave enough to not block too much sunlight. Fig fruits can also be harvested before they are fully ripened (when they are starting to soften with closed eye at the fruit bottom) and brought inside to finish ripening. Pomegranate is rarely grown in Maryland due to borderline winter hardiness, but if the plant is in a container (or in the ground), it too can be covered in insect mesh netting if needed. (If you mean to say Persimmon, you can take similar steps in terms of covering it, but it may be harder to cover the plant in this case since Persimmon trees tend to mature too tall to reach the entire canopy.)
Miri
There is no effective way to repel existing wasps or keep them from starting nests in an area they find suitable, but they usually leave people alone who don't disturb the nest or swat individual workers. We realize that having wasps near fruit plants may increase the risk of unpleasant encounters, though. The only way to keep them away from fruits is to physically block their access with netting or bags secured around ripening fruits, and removing all fallen fruits so they don't attract foraging wasps.
Apple fruits, for example, can be bagged based on the guidance on the linked page, while fig plants can be netted with insect netting, tulle, or other fabrics that are open-weave enough to not block too much sunlight. Fig fruits can also be harvested before they are fully ripened (when they are starting to soften with closed eye at the fruit bottom) and brought inside to finish ripening. Pomegranate is rarely grown in Maryland due to borderline winter hardiness, but if the plant is in a container (or in the ground), it too can be covered in insect mesh netting if needed. (If you mean to say Persimmon, you can take similar steps in terms of covering it, but it may be harder to cover the plant in this case since Persimmon trees tend to mature too tall to reach the entire canopy.)
Miri
Thank you. I am growing pomegranates here in North Laurel, MD. One bush did not do well, but one started producing well after about 5 years and does very well. The wasp is actually able to get through the tough pomegranate skin and it ruins the fruit. I prune it aggressively to try to keep it under 10 feet.
Leaving the wasps alone is not a solution since there are just too many of them at this point and can't bag figs which are where many of them are. I have several fig trees and 4 produce well. three do not but waiting to see how they develop.
Shari
Unfortunately there is no way to discourage or repel the wasps as they forage, and only nest eradication will take out the colony closest to the fruits (others can always fly in from other nests hundreds of yards away, though). The only way to locate a wasp nest is to find the spot workers are entering and existing the nest, which depending on the wasp species, may be in the ground for certain yellowjackets or in a wall void or tree cavity for others (some yellowjackets, plus European hornets). Attempting to treat such a nest with wasp spray to kill the colony risks stings (more so than wasps foraging around the fruits), and nests are often not noticeable until the colony has a higher population in mid- to late summer.
Good luck!
Miri
Good luck!
Miri
