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Why is it dangerous to kill a hornet near its nest?
Answer:
Hornets and some other social wasps produce attack pheromones. Pheromones are a type of chemical communication, chemicals that trigger a response in other members of the species. Many living things produce pheromones to send signals such as "Gather here.", "Follow this trail.", "This is my territory." or "I'm looking for a mate." Attack pheromones cause hornets to become very aggressive. When a predator attacks the nest, killing the first hornet releases attack pheromones, signaling all of the other hornets to attack the predator. Stepping on a hornet can release attack pheromones onto your shoe. If you get near enough to the nest for the hornets to smell the attack pheromones, you may be in serious trouble.
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