Big waspy stingy looking bug
August 28, 2009
Hi ‘bugman’,
While taking my kids to a nearby beach on Lake Erie, we came across many ground burrows of these “Big waspy stingy looking bugs”, as my 8 year twins called them. I think they may be some type of Scoliid wasps, judging from the pictures on your site. We were wondering if there was any need to fear them, they seemed docile enough. They were about 2-21/2 inches long.Thanks for looking at our letter.
Joe S.
western Erie county, PA
Cicada Killer
Hi Joe,
Thanks so much for indicating in your letter that these Cicada Killers Wasps seemed docile. Female Cicada Killers are much more intent on supplying their underground burrows with paralyzed Cicadas than with stinging humans. Though a female Cicada Killer might sting a human, we have never received a substantiated report of them doing so. Male Cicada Killers that cannot sting are often aggressive about defending territory, but they are perfectly harmless. Your photos are wonderful.
Cicada Killer
¶
Posted 29 August 2009
§
‡
°
Yet another cicada killer
August 12, 2009
My technique for getting interesting photos is to NEVER leave the house without a camera slung around my neck. I don’t always get excellent results, but at least I do get a lot of shots.
This cicada killer was buzzing around the neighborhood and I was able to follow it to a garage with a ladder conveniently close by that let me follow it into the gutter….
Pat
southwest lower michigan
Cicada Killer with prey
Hi Pat,
Because the Cicada prey weighs so much more than the Cicada Killer predator, the Cicada Killer often cannot take off from the ground to fly back to her burrow, so she climbs to a high spot and glides in the direction of her burrow. We suspect that is the reason you captured this photo in the gutter. Your documentation of a Cicada Killer and her prey is quite a score. Thanks for sending it to our site. We would much rather post photos of living insects than dead ones.
inch-long flying, burrowing insect
August 12, 2009
we came outside to find a huge mound of dirt between my flagstones. I couldnt imagine what made this. Later in the day I saw the insect. It has wings and six orange legs, antenna, yellow stripes around it’s black body in the back. It was burrowing this hole. Digging in the dirt. Going inside and coming back out and digging backwards with its legs as if it was swimming.
Ken and Lisa Weinstein
North Salem, NY
Cicada Killer
Hi Ken and Lisa,
This is a Cicada Killer, a wasp species that preys upon Cicadas. The female wasp, as evidenced by your photograph, digs a burrow and provisions it with stung and paralyzed Cicadas that form a food source for her brood. Male Cicada Killers often act in an aggressive manner when defending territory, but male Cicada Killers do not possess a stinger and are not a threat. The female Cicada Killer does have a stinger, and might sting a human if provoked, but female Cicada Killers are not aggressive and we have never received a substantiated report of a Cicada Killer stinging a person. The nesting period may last several weeks at which time your visitor will either die or leave the area.
¶
Posted 12 August 2009
§
‡
°
What’s this bug??
August 10, 2009
Hi,
I’m wondering what kind of bug this is. My parents have them burrowing in the sand/dirt on between the sections of their cement driveway. This is the first they’ve seen these bugs and we’re all very curious to what it is. The look like a huge wasp. Unfortunately the bug in this picture is dead, we have a family member that is deathly allergic to wasps.
The photo was taken on August 9th. Sorry the second picture is blurred, but its to show size comparison next to a quarter.
Just Curious
North-Central Illinois
Cicada Killer: dead because of perceived threat
Dear Just Curious,
This is a Cicada Killer. The wasp in your photo appears to be a female, and only the females of the species will sting. Males have no stinger but are the more aggressive sex, as they defend territory. We have never received a substantiated report of anyone being stung by a female Cicada Killer as they are not an aggressive wasp. Most solitary wasps are very reluctant to sting. The female Cicada Killer saves her stings for paralyzing Cicadas which she drags to her underground burrow to provide food for her young. We consider this an example of Unnecessary Carnage and we hope our response has educated you as to the nonthreatening nature of Cicada Killers. We hope this will prevent any further Unnecessary Carnage.
Cicada Killer Wasp
August 9, 2009
Thank you for your very informative website. I recently moved to the country in North Texas and am in awe of the wide variety of insects here. Since I never kill any living thing that is not a threat I have been watching these interesting insects flying around my deck for the past month. However, one of my dogs is a very curious girl and thinks that anything that flies or that she can sniff out and dig up underground is fair game for play and sometimes a meal, I would like to know if these wasps are poisonous? Unfortunately, I can’t always get to her in time to stop her destruction.
Christie
North Texas
Cicada Killer
Hi Christie,
Thank you for your inquiry. Male Cicada Killers are quite territorial, but they are all bluff since they do not possess stingers. Female Cicada Killers are not aggressive, but they do have stingers and they might sting, though we have never received a substantiated report of a sting. Female Cicada Killers sting Cicadas, and they cannot be bothered intimidating humans. Can your dog be stung? It is possible, but not likely.
¶
Posted 09 August 2009
§
‡
°
Cicada Killer Wasp?
August 6, 2009
These wasps like to rest on the walking trail and just fly a few feet away when a walker passes. There are only a few.
KaeruSr
East Windsor, CT
Cicada Killer
Dear KaeruSr,
You are correct. This is a Cicada Killer
¶
Posted 07 August 2009
§
‡
°
Cicada Killer
August 5, 2009
Hello 
I recently found this interesting wasp looking bug hanging from my balcony holding a cicada. Normally, I would not have known what the heck was going on here (some kind of inter-species fling??) But just that morning, I had read an article in the local newsletter about these interesting bugs, and decided to take a few pics. The article was lettiong members of the community know to not kill them or try to exterminate them, that they are a “good bug” (as most are, but still we have to squish or swat them out of fear)
After perusing your site for the identification of a house centipede (a very scary million-legged beast that was crawling around with our son on the floor. Unfortunately, after reading about it, I would have tried to put it outside to battle our spider problem…) I thought about the pictures I had taken of the cool Cicada Killer in action. I thought that they would be a great addition to your site and some good education for paeple that may not know about them. Sadly, the Cicada Killer could not keep holding on to the balcony with one leg, and dropped his prey, so I got a pic of that too (quite a pretty cicada actually).
Enjoy and keep doin what youre doin, and thanks for my newfound interest in bugs
Cool Bug Lover
Washington, DC
Cicada Killer and Annual Cicada
Dear Cool Bug Lover,
Thanks for sending us your great food chain images of a Cicada Killer and an Annual Cicada. Female Cicada Killers are used to struggling with their large ungainly prey and we suspect she eventually arrived at her burrow with her catch. The Cicada Killer takes advantage of gravity by climbing trees and other tall structures and gliding toward the nest with the prey in tow. We are also gladdened to hear your local newsletter is promoting tolerance of Cicada Killers which terrify many of our readers.
Cicada Killer and Annual Cicada Prey
Ground Wasps (?)
July 20, 2009
These insects have moved into my patio area, nesting in the ground under and around my ivy. They are about two inches long, and are quite agressive. Can you help identify them?
Allergic & Afraid
Indiana
Cicada Killer
Dear Allergic and Afraid,
This is a Cicada Killer Wasp. They are large and they are scary and they are quite territorial. The males defend territory and the females often nest in colonies. In the nearly 9 years we have been writing this column online, we have gotten hundreds of letters about Cicada Killers, but we have never gotten a report of them stinging anyone. Males are incapable of stinging, and females save their venom to paralyze Cicadas so they can provision their burrows to feed the young. We would never say that they would never sting, as a female can sting, but we do stand by our never receiving any reports of anyone being stung.
¶
Posted 20 July 2009
§
‡
°
Wasp/bee-like fly?
July 17, 2009
Hi – my back porch has been taken over by a dozen or so of these large (an inch in length, at least) flying insects since June. They hover a bit, and fly around a single spot, landing occasionally. They seem to fight/try to mate a lot; I’ve found a dead one and a few dead beetles on the patio, so they may be killing each other. They’re most active around noon, and I can’t see if they burrow or go to a nest other times. They haven’t stung anyone, and they seem fairly skittish, but are pretty big and disruptive. They will rest in the same spot frequently, so they’re killable, but I don’t want to kill one with a shovel when there are a dozen more nearby. Only in the last few weeks have more than a few shown up at the same time. They like the tomato and cucumber fl owers. I’ve included a photo on the dead one on the patio and a live one on some grass. Thanks for your help!
Josh
Wilmington DE
Cicada Killer
Hi Josh,
You have a colony of Cicada Killer Wasps. Though they are solitary wasps, Cicada Killers sometimes nest in communities. They are basically harmless, and though the females are capable of stinging, we have not gotten any reports of them actually stinging anyone. The males are quite territorial and they will defend an area from other Cicada Killers and also against other intruders, but males are incapable of stinging. Females dig a burrow and provision it with Cicadas that they sting and paralyze and then drag to the burrow. A single egg is laid on each paralyzed Cicada and the hatchling larva will feed on the fresh meat.
¶
Posted 18 July 2009
§
‡
°
What in the world is this???? Flying insect
July 15, 2009
Hi, this flying insect was found in Central Florida in July of 09. It is about 1 1/2 inches long, looks somewhat like a wasp but it burrows into the ground. Apparently it seems to be somewhat aggressive as well. Please help!
Jennifer
Central Florida
Cicada Killer in flight
Hi Jennifer,
Thanks for submitting the first Cicada Killer photo of the summer. The Cicada Killer is a true harbinger of summer in eastern North America. This large solitary wasp often constructs its underground burrows as a colony, near others of its species. Every year we get countless reports from terrified readers requesting this identification. Though they seem defensive, Cicada Killers are not known to attack people. The larger female Cicada Killer could potentially sting a person, but we have never received a substantiated report of such an occurrence. The territorial male Cicada Killers cannot sting. Cicada Killer females hunt and paralyze Cicadas, and then drag and fly them back to the burrows where they lay a single egg per Cicada. The paralyzed Cicada is fresh meat for the developing larva. We have numerous images and accounts of Cicada Killers in our archives. We have also had more than our share of Cicada Killers wind up on our Unnecessary Carnage page due to human intolerance.
¶
Posted 15 July 2009
§
‡
°
Very large wasp or hornet
Jul 10, 2009
There are two of these, they have burrowed into the ground near our house. One is app. 1 inch long, the other is larger, at least 1.5 inches. Brown wings, black body, three distinct stripes on the lower portion of the body. Large reddish brown eyes, black antennae, yellow-orange legs. They attacked other bugs who tried to land on the bush they were on.
Amanda
Raleigh, NC
Cicada Killer
Dear Amanda,
We fear that by the time you have received our reply, the poor Cicada Killer in the plastic bag may no longer be excavating in your yard. Cicada Killers are harmless, and though they are large and threatening looking, we have never received a report of anyone being stung. Males which are aggressive and territorial are incapable of stinging, and larger females would rather sting and paralyze Cicadas to feed her brood.
¶
Posted 12 July 2009
§
‡
°
Holy bigness!
Sat, Nov 22, 2008 at 3:41 PM
Holy bigness!
This thing FREAKED my husband out today when he found it on our recycle bin. Being “nature girl” I had to run right over and get a close look! It’s very weak, or at least acts like it. I haven’t seen it fly at all but I’m not sure if it’s because it’s colder than usual here or what. I’ve Googled my little fingers away and I’m thinking it might be a queen European Hornet. The thing is, I live in Lehigh Acres, Florida. I haven’t found any sites that mentioned them being in Southwest Florida. The way I look at it is… They fly! – They can go anywhere! Could you please help me identify it? Also, just how much danger am I in when handling it? Could I just move it somewhere else? I’m really not into killing things!
Curious Nature Girl
Lehigh Acres, Florida
Cicada Killer
Hi Curious Nature Girl,
This is a Cicada Killer, a large wasp that paralyzed Cicadas to feed to its young. The curious thing for us is that we generally get our Cicada Killer questions in July and August, and occasionally into September, but late November is very late. We have a dedicated portion of our site specifically for Cicada Killers and we have featured the Cicada Killer as a Bug of the Month recently. Now that you know what it is, you should be able to find endless information online. We have received a single report of a sting from a Cicada Killer. They are not aggressive, but males will defend their territory and though they buzz people, male Cicada Killers do not possess stingers.
¶
Posted 23 November 2008
§
‡
°
rss
