The phrase “You kicked a hornet’s nest” takes on a whole new meaning when you are actually faced with a swarm of angry hornets. A nests of hornets, formed by a queen usually in sheltered areas such as roof overhangs, can reach up to 700 workers at its peak in late spring. Each one of these worker hornets has a stinger that can be used multiple times when feeling threatened.
One aspect that makes hornets more of a pain, literally, than other similar stinging insects is that their venom carries a high level of acetylcholine. Add that to the fact that because its stinger is not barbed, a hornet can sting a person multiple times.
Another reason hornets are more dangerous than some of their counterparts is their ability to release a pheromone when in danger that mobilizes the whole nest to attack one victim. Taking care when dealing with hornets is strongly encouraged because the only thing more dangerous than dealing with one hornet is dealing with an entire hive.