Woman feels trapped inside her home because of massive hornet’s nest

RICHMOND, Va. -- If you ask Louise Allen about her Highland Park home, she can tell you just about anything after living there for 47 years.

So when she spotted a massive hornet’s nest in a city-owned tree, she was stunned.

“I was like whoa, what in the world is this," said Allen. “At first, I thought it was the size of a watermelon. But I think it was a little bit larger than a watermelon."

Allen said the hornet’s nest presents a big safety risk for her family and her neighbors.

“Suppose I was cutting grass and it had fallen out of the tree… or people walking down the street it could’ve fell,” she said.

Allen said she contacted the city, but says they gave her the run around.

"They sent me to Animal control. They couldn’t help me. They sent me to another department. They couldn’t help me. Third department they couldn’t help me," recalled Allen.

After getting nowhere for the past two weeks, she turned to the CBS 6 Problem Solvers.

“It’s a shame that I had to call Channel 6 when we are taxpayers. We’ve been here like 47 years and we’ve never had any problem like this before," said Allen.

Louise Allen

The CBS 6 Problem Solvers reached to Richmond's Department of Public Works which is responsible for city-owned trees.

They sent an arborist to Allen’s neighborhood to remove the hornet’s nest from the tree.

“He came back and got some of our wasp spray and sprayed it.  He then pulled it out into the street and crushed it with his truck," she added.

Allen said the city worker told her the insects would not come back.

"After he left we looked up in the tree and there it was… a whole swarm of bees," she said.

“Does that concern you?” CBS 6 Problem Solver Sandra Jones asked.

“Yes, it does because that is dangerous,” she responded.

CBS 6 requested an interview with the city arborist who removed the hornet’s nest.

Sharon North, spokeswoman for Richmond's Department of Public Works, said he was not available Tuesday.

Keith Davis with Bees busters, Inc told the CBS 6 Problem Solvers that you have to clip the branch, put some glue boards in place to collect the insects, and they will die 24 hours later.

Davis told CBS 6 that he plans to swing by the Allen’s home Tuesday evening to finish the process of removing the wasps free of charge.

For Louise Allen, its huge relief, knowing she will soon be free of the insects.

“I’m so appreciative to you," she added.

Need help? Contact the CBS 6 Problem Solvers.