Hornets and/or wasps

[LauraH]

Does anyone know of a way to get rid of hornets or wasps without killing them? We have two nests. One is right by our pool under the slide. We've sprayed the nest down with water but the hornets keep coming back to rebuild. There's another in a brush pile or under it. I have no idea how big it is. I hate the idea of killing them, but I'm stumped about what to do. The ones by the pool attacked my husband when he was cleaning it once, so I suppose they're aggresive. Most of the pest places I called come and spray chemicals, but one place said they use a non-poisonous spray with mint oil in it, but it still kills them. Another guy said he'd come and remove the nest as long as he could see it (which won't work with the nest in the brush pile since we can't see it). He said they usually die anyway if you move their nest since the foragers are usually out when you move the nest, so they die without their nest, and the hornets left in the nest die since they no longer have their foragers! Sounds like a no-win situation. If anyone has any advice I'd be grateful!

[veganloraine]

we have 2 paper wasp nests on our porch. by the time we noticed them being built, it was too late to remove them as they had already started putting their eggs inside. we've decided to leave them alone and watch their progress daily. they have become used to our presence and obviously don't see us as a threat as the baby gets in their faces all the time and they've never made any moves to harm him.

as with all wasps only the queen will survive the winter and come spring she will go in search of a new colony. can you keep the nests where they are and knock them down next spring?