Comments 4

1. sbower83 wrote:

   I wanted to comment on this because I just got out of the ER about an hour ago from being stung by one of these guys.

   Here’s my story in short…I was stung by one about 3 or 4 weeks ago. It was dark and I laid my hand on the patio table to pick something up and must have put my hand right on a female. The pain was horrible but didn’t last. I ended up with a swollen hand and some itching but that’s about it.

   I told a friend of mine about it who is the resident mountain main and critter expert. He said he had heard that being stung by one was equal to being hit in the face with a hammer. I had to agree with his assessment.

   Earlier tonight was standing up while outside and one must have landed on my shorts and when my arm crossed it, it stung. The pain was again horrid, but this time I started showing signs of an allergic reaction within minutes. I had weird white bumps on my face, my lips were swelling, my feet were swelling, red splotches all over, even my voice was changed from the air pipes closing I guess.

   I’m okay now I guess…minus the fact that I have to carry an epi pen around forever.

   Posted 08 Sep 2010 at 2:46 am ¶
2. bugman wrote:

   Dear sbower83,
   While we sympathize with your ordeal, both of your encounters occurred after dark, and we question the accuracy of your eye witness account. You did not indicate where this incident occurred, but over much of the range of the Cicada Killer, an introduced species, the European Hornet has been increasing in numbers. The European Hornet, Vespa crabro, can easily be mistaken for a Cicada Killer (See BugGuide). Both are large wasps with similar coloration and patterns, but the social European Hornet is much more aggressive. European Hornets will fly at night, unlike the Cicada Killer. You can read this University of Tennessee Extension article about European Hornets and it contains a comparison with the Cicada Killer. It is our opinion that you have falsely accused the Cicada Killer of stinging you.

   Posted 08 Sep 2010 at 8:10 am ¶
3. Vern wrote:

   I live in lower Alabama, and have recently had some Cicada Killers move in next to my sidewalk. While out watering my rose bushes, I see these guys flying around the yard collecting who knows what, but they have never actually tried to sting me. I’ve had one land on my shoulder, briefly, but it never tried to harm me. Do they only attack cicadas or will they attack other flying insects as well?

   Posted 30 May 2011 at 9:22 am ¶
4. bugman wrote:

   Adult Cicada Killers feed on nectar and pollen from flowers. The Cicada is the larval food. Larvae cannot fend for themselves. The female Cicada Killer provisions her nest with Cicadas. If Cicadas are not available, she will not substitute any other insect. Only the female Cicada Killer can sting.

   Posted 30 May 2011 at 9:59 am ¶

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