Cicada Killer Photos
Hi!
I saw these Cicada Killers and had no idea what they were… Being curious, I got online, found your site, and learned lots of stuff! I would have killed these things for sure had I not found your site and others telling me not to worry, they won’t sting. Anyway, its mating season, and these two seem to be stuck together. I saw the male try to fly off, and he couldn’t! She was holding him down, even though his body was completely airborne! I had a pic of that, but it was too blurry. I don’t know how to take good action shots. Thought you might be able to use these pictures. Some mating, and some of the burrows in my kids’ sandbox. Too bad they can’t play in it for a couple more weeks. Thanks for your site.
Chad
Hi Chad,
Your letter makes us happy for several reasons. First, we like hearing that you took the time to research before acting upon any extermination instincts. Second, your submission is a wonderful counterpoint to the recent Cicada Killer carnage image we posted, and third, we are thrilled to hear we were helpful. We are not certain how successful this second male is going to be with regards to perpetuating his gene line, but we are impressed with his efforts. These Cicada Killers are lucky to have moved to such a tolerant location.
Update:
(08/09/2008) To Chad with Cicada Killers in kids sand box…
Daniel,
correct me if I’m wrong, but don’t cicada killer larva pupate in the chambers where they feed? If so, Chad’s kids may be without their sandbox for more than a few weeks. It would be next July before the cicada killer adults hatch out and start looking for cicadas of their own. Could he dig up the pupa and bury them in other loose soil nearby? Just wondering!
Liz Wickard, CHI
Interpretive Naturalist
City of Aurora/Parks and Open Space
Morrison Nature Center
Aurora CO
Hi Liz,
Your bring up a very good point. Relocating the Cicada Killer pupae would most likely be detrimental to their lives.
¶ Posted 05 August 2008 § ‡ ° what is THIS bug !?
I’m in Pennsylvania and we’ve never seen one of these before. Thanks
Rob
Hi Rob,
We have a sneaky suspicion that these relatively harmless Cicada Killers did not die of natural causes nor of old age, which is why we will be placing them in the Unnecessary Carnage section. We say relatively harmless because over the years we have gotten two reports of someone being stung by a Cicada Killer. Only the female stings, but she is so busy trying to provision her nest with Cicadas, that she can’t really be bothered trying to sting people. In the very unlikely event that a person is stung by a female Cicada Killer, the sting is reported to be quite painful. The male, who does no hunting, is the more aggressive appearing sex since he is territorial and will try to chase intruders, regardless of their size, from the prospective nest site he has staked out. He wants to mate and he is being protective of his territory, but he cannot sting. Though they are solitary wasps, Cicada Killers do tend to nest in proximity to one another, and when “swarms” appear, they can be quite daunting. We also just received the following letter without a photo, and posting it provides an excellent opportunity to demonstrate how knowledge is power, just as your letter demonstrates the extreme measures that can result from an unrational fear of the unknown.
Update: (08/03/2008) Cicada Killers in Dayton Ohio
Hello Bugman…
No fancy photos from Ohio, but rest assured we have gained great knowledge from your site. After spending the entire day researching these “hornets” in our back yard….I have concluded they are, in fact, Cicada Killers. Imagine my delight when I was able to impress my husband with my new found knowledge when as soon as we stepped into the back yard and I was describing what they were……One flew right past with cicada in tow!!! I am still a little creeped out and won’t go out there much….*wink*…..but I am not terrified and wondering what “Curse of biblical proportion was being thrust upon us”, She said with tongue very much in cheek. Great site…thank you, thank you!!!
E.M.
Hornets
We have a big landscaped island in between our circular driveway. In a storm the bradford pear split and when my husband and son went out to cut it up they were swarmed but not bitten by huge wasp looking things. I’m sending you a picture. After consulting your website it looks like they may be paper wasps. There are hundreds of them and we aren’t sure where they are coming from. It doesn’t look like they have a traditional nest in a tree or above ground. How do you get rid of them. I had to use my telephoto lens to get close enough to get a picture.
Holly
Hi Holly,
You have a colony of Cicada Killer wasps. The males are territorial, but to do not sting. The females can sting, but are very reluctant to do so. Seeing a female Cicada Killer flying with a Cicada so she can provide food for her brood is an awesome sight.
¶ Posted 13 July 2008 § ‡ ° Name this bug
Several years ago we had a load of sand brought into our yard. Since then we have had this hornet (or what ever it is) every summer toward the end of June and really bad by the 4th of July. They burrow into the sand and make their nest there. They mate like love bugs. They are about 1 to 1 1/2 inches long. So far they have not been aggressive toward me but just having dozens of them swarming around is enough to frighten me. What are they and how can I get rid of them?
This is a Cicada Killer Wasp, an important predator. Most everything we have learned about them indicates that they are not aggressive and rarely sting people, so we do not recommend their removal. We did just receive a conflicting account of an encounter with Cicada Killers that we will include with this posting.
Report of Cicada Killers Stingingcicada killer wasps
just read all your q & a’s re these wasps, as well as, a factsheet from univ of ohio. very informative. however, my own experience differed quite a bit from this data. last summer, i was weeding a very overgrown garden bed and apparently disturbed some of these wasps. i was stung three times and chased as i ran away from the site. one sting was on my back, and the other two were on my right breast. i have to tell you that all three were extremely painful — esp the two frontal ones. i had a sore, swollen, deep-purple area from mid-chest across and over the breast to under my arm that lasted for 9 days. i have never been allergic to any stings, nor to any medicines or foods. this was soooo painful for soooo long, that i nearly went to the doctor. the site is in full sun, but not ‘clear of vegetation’ by any means. i get that the males were probably doing the chasing, but if only the females sting —- well, these three packed quite a wallop. now i just steer clear of them altogether and grit my teeth as i watch the weeds flourish. wish i could deter them w/o killing them. any suggestions. thx
Sorry, we have no suggestions on how to deter Cicada Killers.
¶ Posted 08 July 2008 § ‡ ° Cicada Killers?
Hi, I have dozens of these guys dead or twitching in my driveway and street in San Antonio, Texas. They are dropping like flies (pardon my pun!) and I was trying to make sure I had correctly identified them, and wondered if you could shed any light on why they might be dying in droves around my home? I’ve lived here 8 years, and never seen them before this year. Also, I was wondering whether or not they are aggressive, and if they are likely to sting people? Thanks for any information,
Leah Land
Hi Leah,
This is a Cicada Killer, and we suspect it did not die of a natural causes. The twitching you describe sounds like poison is involved. Perhaps one of your neighbors was fearful, though Cicada Killers rarely sting.
¶ Posted 06 July 2008 § ‡ ° Cicada Killer Wasp?
I found this brightly colored insect (Cicada Killer?) washed up on the beach in North Carolina this summer. I saw it from a distance and went over in hopes that I’d discovered a strange and beautiful shell (imagine my surprise, lol!). Anyway, great website! I’m surprised by how often I inadvertently end up here looking at bugs. Thanks for all your help!
Merritt Henson
Hi Merritt,
Your photo of a drowned Cicada Killer is quite stunning. It really shows off the stinger nicely and those awesome orange legs.
¶ Posted 27 October 2007 § ‡ ° A Question About a Wasp
Hi,
I am enclosing a photo of a very LARGE Wasp. It seems to be depositing eggs in the splits in the bark of a maple. The material being deposited by the wasp seems to be white "fluffy" and soft looking. The wasp is the largest one I’ve ever seen, probably over an inch or more in length with a very heavy body. Can you help me and identify it? Thanks
Walt Jankowski
Hilton Head SC
Hi Walt,
This is a Cicada Killer and it is not laying eggs. We believe it is feeding on the oozing sap running from the tree. Female Cicada Killers hunt and paralyze Cicadas. They then bury them and lay a single egg. The larval wasp then feeds on the paralyzed, still living Cicada, which is a fresh food supply. A dead Cicada would be dry and inedible for the wasp.
¶ Posted 18 September 2007 § ‡ ° mating Cicada Killers
here is a pic for your bug love page… several male cicada killers trying to get lucky.
Vince
Hi Vince,
Goodness, gracious, however does she manage to choose. Looks like Cicada Killers have rought and tumble sex.
¶ Posted 17 July 2007 § ‡ ° 
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