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Possible Cicada Killers and What’s Happening to Them?
My name is Lacie Blevins and I am from Mulvane, KS, just outside of Wichita, KS. My children and I were outside playing and noticed that we were able to find an usually large number of Cicada shells in our backyard, at least in my opinion considering we’d never seen quite that many in one area before. While looking for more Cicada shells, we noticed three dead insects, which my five-year-old daughter expertly [sarcasm] believed to be a dead bumblebee, and I a hornet, all underneath one of our trees; coincidentally, we found them under the tree with the highest number of cicada shells on and around it. After finding your website, I believe that they are Cicada Killers, but the size being reported didn’t seem to match what I found in my backyard. I have included a picture of one of the insects that I picked up out of my yard. Could you tell me if I have correctly identified the insect and what could be happening to them? I understand from your website that the Cicada Killer wasps are nothing to be afraid of, but can you tell me if there is something bigger and nastier out there that I should be worried about? Thanks,
Lacie Blevins

Hi Lacie,
Late August is about the end of the time of year you will be observing Cicada Killers, so it is possible they have just died of old age. It is also possible they have been attacked by some predator. Though we have never seen a photograph, it is possible they were attacked by one of the larger Robber Flies like a Bee Killer.

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