READER REPORTS: Hornet nest on east side of The Junction (updated Monday)

SUNDAY 12:24 PM: The image is from Kevin Freitas, who first sounded the alarm about a hornet nest on the north side of 40th/Alaska last Wednesday. By Thursday he said he’d spoken to a Puget Sound Beekeepers Association member who indicated they’d likely “take care of it” at some point. But it’s still there, according to other readers, who also suggested a wider warning, so we’re mentioning it now.

P.S. Hornets and wasps may be worrisome but if you see or have a bee swarm, it’s not, and a PSBA member would likely be interested in relocating those.

MONDAY 12:13 PM: By multiple accounts, including OP Kevin, the nest has been killed and removed.

Ex-Westwood Resident August 9, 2026 (2:02 pm)

Easy way to tell the “good” bees from the “bad” bees;

If it is a “hairy” bee it is a GOOD bee and is a pollinator. The pollen easily sticks to the hair on their bodies and legs, which gets transferred as it flies from flower to flower. They are generally harmless unless seriously provoked and would rather fly away from humans. They also die shortly after they sting when they do sting, as their stinger is left behind when they do.

If it is a “smooth bodied” bee it is an A**HOLE with wings, they are AGGRESSIVE and need to be eliminated with prejudice. The are NOT pollinators as there are nowhere for the pollen to stick to and ANY pollination accomplished by them is purely by accident. Wasps and Hornets are the common ones in this area. Many types can sting a person multiple times, as their stinger remains attached to their bodies. They are parasites and attack and kill the pollinators for their honey.

Westwood August 9, 2026 (2:29 pm)

Reply

False. “Smooth bodied” bees should not be eliminated with prejudice. They serve an important function by eliminating many nuisance insects that damage plants. They are also an important food source for birds. Unless they pose a risk to humans or pets…leave them bee.
- beekind August 9, 2026 (3:10 pm)
  
  Reply
  
  Thanks for saying this. A wise gardener will actually be happy to see yellow jackets, as they can kill and consume pounds of pest bugs over the course of a season. Just be aware of where they set up shop and give them space.
beekind August 9, 2026 (3:06 pm)

Reply

This is hyperbolic, please be nice to all bees.
RickB August 9, 2026 (9:32 pm)

Reply

Yeah no, that’s not really true at all. A couple examples: Paper wasps, black and yellow with long back legs, look kind of scary but ignore people unless directly engaged, they eat caterpillars and other pests. I had them under my eaves for many years and never had a problem. Another example, the really scary looking long skinny black dauber wasps are also pretty chill, you can garden right next to them and they won’t bother you.

B.B.Sting August 9, 2026 (4:14 pm)

I hope the nest is removed to a safe place soon because you just know that some idiot will hit it with a stick one day and when that happens, hopefully he’s the only one around to tell the story later.

Kathrine August 10, 2026 (1:16 pm)

Reply

The nest was at the end of my street and I witnessed both a man throwing rocks at it and also another guy trying to spray it down with what I assume was bug spray. I steered clear!

Robert August 10, 2026 (7:22 am)

The nest is quite large, the size of a basketball. We walked right under this on Sunday at 10:30am and there was little to no activity around the nest, though some thoughtful person put a warning sign on a highway cone directly below.

JTinWS August 10, 2026 (7:26 am)

Oh sheesh speaking of wasps, I saw a very busy nest of bald-faced hornets at Hamilton viewpoint Park a couple days ago. I tried reporting it on the FIFI app to Parks and Rec.

Kathrine August 10, 2026 (9:14 am)

On my walk this morning, I noticed the nest had been removed.

WSB August 10, 2026 (9:59 am)

Reply

Yes, we’ll be updating.

Natty RAD! August 10, 2026 (8:48 pm)

Someone posted a really good close up of the nest on r/westseattlewa. A lot of people in the comments are talking about wasps but these were definitely hornets like WSB stated in the title. Regardless, I would have given them a wide berth. Glad it’s been removed.