Grace Valley Pest Control

08/13/2026

When the Nest Isn’t Where You Think It Is 🐝

This was easily the biggest yellow jacket nest I’ve seen this year—and it was hiding in a spot you wouldn’t expect.

While treating a yellow jacket entrance in an overhang/soffit, I noticed something didn’t seem right. I wasn’t actually close enough to the nest for the treatment to be reaching the colony.

After getting clearance to carefully remove the plastic soffit, we found the nest was nowhere near the entrance.

Instead, it was attached to the subfloor roughly 8 inches away from where I had been treating!

And this wasn’t a small colony. The nest was approximately the size of a bald-faced hornet nest. 😳

Yellow jackets can take advantage of surprisingly small voids, and the visible entrance doesn’t always tell you exactly where the colony is located.

Another reminder that sometimes you have to look beyond the obvious—and know when it’s time to open things up and investigate.

🐝 The nest isn’t always where you think it is!

08/03/2026

You never know where bald-faced hornets will decide to build a nest… but this decorative glass tree ornament was a first for me. 🐝

The plan seemed simple: quietly sneak up, slip a trash bag over the ornament, seal it, and remove the entire nest before the hornets knew what was happening.

Well… that didn’t exactly go as planned. 😅

The moment I bagged it, hornets started pouring out inside the bag. Then I realized the ornament wasn’t coming off the tree. Over the years, the tree had actually grown around the metal hanger holding the ornament in place! The hanger had to be cut before I could safely remove it.

Once it was down, I fogged the colony and took the ornament apart. The hollow interior had provided the perfect protected cavity for the hornets to construct their paper nest. It was an ingenious nesting site… right up until they were served an eviction notice.

Bald-faced hornets are beneficial predators that help control many other insects, but when they establish colonies close to homes, patios, or play areas, they can become a significant stinging hazard.

Have you ever found a wasp or hornet nest in an unexpected place? Tell me the strangest location you’ve seen in the comments!

07/30/2026

🐝 Not your average hornet nest…

We were recently called out for a European hornet problem. The hornets had actually chewed a hole through the drywall inside an exterior wall and were entering the living space.

The homeowner did something creative while waiting for us—they placed a plastic bowl over the hole to keep the hornets contained. We drilled through the bowl so we could safely apply a combination of dust and fog directly into the wall void, then treated the exterior entry point the same day.

When we returned for a follow-up, there was still some hornet activity. At first glance, that might seem like the treatment didn’t work—but what we were actually seeing was newly emerged adult hornets (pupae that had completed development). Those hornets had already finished developing before the treatment and were simply emerging from their cells. The colony itself had been eliminated.

The real surprise came when the drywall was opened…

The nest measured nearly 2 feet tall and about 14 inches wide! 🤯 It completely filled the wall cavity.

European hornets don’t always build in trees or attics. Wall voids can provide the perfect protected environment for a colony to grow to incredible sizes before anyone realizes what’s happening.

If you notice large hornets consistently entering the same spot on your home, don’t ignore it—it could be much bigger than it appears from the outside.

📍 Serving North Georgia
🪲 Grace Valley Pest Control

07/06/2026

I removed a large bald-faced hornet nest and treated the area thoroughly.

Two weeks later, a new structure started forming on a nearby door k**b.

At first glance, it looks like the colony “came back”… but that’s not how bald-faced hornets work.

By July, colonies are already fully established, and workers cannot start a new colony without a queen.

The most likely explanation is that the original queen survived the initial treatment and remaining workers attempted limited rebuilding.

Without a functioning colony structure, brood, and sustained queen activity, these rebuild attempts typically fail quickly.

This is why follow-ups matter after large nest removals!

07/04/2026

🇺🇸 Rolling through the streets of Dahlonega celebrating the 4th of July and the freedoms we’re blessed to enjoy.

At Grace Valley Pest Control, we’re proud to be part of this community and grateful for the men and women who fought to keep this the land of the free because of the brave.

Hope everyone has a safe and happy Independence Day! 🎆🦅🇺🇸

05/26/2026

Hidden just under the front deck… and packed with yellow jackets. 🐝

Aerial nests like this can stay unnoticed until the colony gets large and defensive. One vibration from the deck, lawn equipment nearby, or someone walking too close can turn into a bad day fast.

This one was safely removed before anyone got stung.

If you’re seeing increased yellow jacket activity around your home, especially near decks, soffits, shrubs, or play areas, it’s worth having it checked sooner rather than later.

📍Grace Valley Pest Control
Protecting homes with honest service and expert care!

05/20/2026

Larry was more than a client — he was a great neighbor and a great friend. He was the kind of person who always@ had a joke ready, no matter the situation.

One day after a long day of work, I came home to find my mailbox knocked down. I was outside fixing it with my daughter, clearly irritated, when Larry drove up and asked, “What happened?”

I answered, “What does it look like?” and jokingly blamed my daughter, Amelia. She immediately started protesting and explaining how the mailman had actually done it. Larry looked at her and said, “As your lawyer, I advise you to stop talking, Amelia.”

That was Larry. Always quick with a joke, always able to make people laugh.

Here’s to Larry — you will be deeply missed by the many people who knew and loved you.

If you’re able, please consider donating to help support his six-year-old daughter, Alyssa, as she navigates a world without her father. Every donation, share, and prayer means more than words can say.

Alyssa is a smart, loving little girl who recently lost her dad after his courageous battle wi… Mira Knotts needs your support for Support for Alyssa’s Future

05/13/2026

Wasp mimicry is one of nature’s most incredible adaptations.

This Typocerus zebra looks remarkably similar to a yellowjacket at first glance, but it’s actually a completely harmless longhorned beetle. The black-and-yellow coloration is thought to help protect it by convincing predators it might sting.

I got to use this find as a chance to talk with my daughter about mimicry, defensive adaptations, and how insects evolve to survive. One of those small moments that reminds me why I love entomology. 🪲🐝

05/01/2026

1800’s farmhouse. Crawlspace that turned into a textbook case of termite biology.

After a few days of rain, the termite swarmers showed up in full force… and I mean FULL force.

The sound? Like it was literally raining under the house — thousands of wings hitting the v***r barrier at once.

We didn’t treat this one. The construction is too complex and the crawlspace clearance is too tight to properly access all the active areas. Sometimes the right call isn’t spraying—it’s recognizing when a structure needs a different level of solution.

This is exactly what peak swarming activity looks (and sounds) like after rainfall.

If you’re seeing this around your home, it’s not just a few bugs—it’s a sign of a much bigger colony nearby!

04/04/2026

Ever seen THIS before? 👀

An active paper wasp nest… with earwigs hiding inside.

Sounds crazy, but it’s actually a perfect example of how opportunistic pests can be.

Earwigs aren’t teaming up with wasps—they’re taking advantage:
• Sneaking in at night 🌙
• Feeding on scraps and debris
• Using the nest as a protected hiding spot

Even a well-defended paper wasp colony can have weak points.

In pest control, it’s rarely just one issue—it’s an ecosystem.

This week? Termites.
Today? Wasps vs. earwigs.

You never know what you’ll find sometimes!