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Cicada Killer in Georgia, in October!!!!! (nope, September)

Giant Hornet?
Location: Savannah, GA and Space Coast, FL
October 9, 2011 9:57 pm
I was camping with my family near Savannah, GA when this giant thing flew into where we set up camp. It began digging a good ways into the ground.
Then after we returned home to FL (east coast), I saw another one flying around as we were walking around a nature trail.
I would really appreciate it if you could tell me what kind of insect it is.
Thank You,
Signature: Amy D.

cicada killer amy 300x198 Cicada Killer in Georgia, in October!!!!! (nope, September)

Cicada Killer

Dear Amy,
This is a Cicada Killer, and it is one of our most common summer identification requests, but we have never gotten a report of a sighting in October.  Though your inquiry did not specify a time for the sighting, we are guessing that this is not a recent observation.  Please clarify when the sighting occurred.  Female Cicada Killers dig a subterranean nest that they provision with paralyzed Cicadas to feed the developing brood. 

The one pictured was in mid September of this year (Savannah, GA).  The second sighting closer to home, the space coast of FL, was just this past week.
We have young children, and were a little worried about how aggressive they might be, and the severity of their sting.  Thank you for your help in identifying it so fast!
Amy

Hi Again Amy,
Though we imagine that Cicada Killers might sting, we have never received a verified report of a person being stung.  Non-stinging males will defend territory, but they are perfectly harmless.  It seems females would rather sting Cicadas.

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Posted 10 October 2011 § ‡ Comments (0) °
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Cicada Killer Eating

Large Wasp/Hornet – Demise of elm
August 29, 2011  3:44 PM
Dear What’s That Bug,
(I have tried to use the online submission page but was not working very well.  I have a new ID request.)
I have (had, I should say) a “Liberty” Elm tree planted in the yard of the office. In the past two weeks, the tree has folded and has almost given up the ghost.  Since it has a few green leaves left, I will wait till it is finished before I do the autopsy. The insects are having a field day on the tree literately sucking the life out of the tree.  The ants were first to the party but now it has broken out into a  veritable sugar stick attracting all of the resident insect populations.  The giant wasp/hornet was in the 2in+ category and not very aggressive.  I am thinking European Hornet. What does the “What’s that Bug” crew have to say?  Did the hornets cause the holes?  And for bonus points, can someone tell me what is the most likely cause of death of the poor elm?
Thank you,
Jim Kirkland
University of Illinois
Illinois Forest Resource Center
R.R. 1, Box 255
Simpson, IL  62985

elm damage cicada killer jim 300x215 Cicada Killer Eating

Cicada Killer drinks sap from a compromised Elm Tree

Hi Jim,
This has to be one of the most cheerful photos we have ever received of a Cicada Killer.  Even the photos of Cicada Killers with Cicadas are about the Cicada Killer providing for her brood, or in a sense, doing housework.  Here she is just taking a break and enjoying a sweet and nutritious drink.  With enough sugar in her, she will be able to hunt Cicadas for a long time.  We don’t know what is wrong with your elm tree, but we suspect it involves boring larvae, either Pigeon Horntails or Buprestidswe imagine.  Because we don’t know what is eating the trees, we will tag this as a mystery.   Your declining Elm tree is a marvelous study of the web of life that will surround it as it dies.  If you send us future updates, please continue to use the title Demise of Elm.

elm damage jim 225x300 Cicada Killer Eating

What's Eating the Elm Tree

Dear Daniel,  Thank you for the reminder, I am sure that at one time I knew that info.  Yes, the scavangers are doing their work, making sure that nothing goes to waste.  The ants were the first, now the party is very interracial and everyone is enjoying the sweet wine at the elm table.  Skippers, ants, wasps and bees, they are all enjoying the sweet smell of demise.  I especially enjoyed your description of a “cheerful” cicada Killer”! Every cicada killer is partying hard this year (especially since this is the year of majicicada emergence). They have  been drunk since the beginning of May when the singing began! This is their party your of good fortune!
Thanks, Jim Kirkland

Hi again Jim,
Since the Magicicada species emerge periodically in prodigious numbers, they contribute a great deal to the food chain, however, they also emerge in late May and early June, significantly earlier than Cicada Killers, so we don’t believe Cicada Killers benefit from the various broods of 13 Year and 17 Year Cicadas.  That bounty benefits predators that are not species specific in their preferences.

 

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Posted 29 August 2011 § ‡ Comments (0) ° Tagged:

What’s Killing Cicada Killers???

Wasp type creature in back yard
Location: Jackson, MS
August 20, 2011 11:59 am
I found two of these dead in our back patio. I have no idea where they are coming form or why they are dead, but I’m glad! If you need another picture, let me know.
Signature: Rebecca

cicada killer mystery death rebecca 300x191 Whats Killing Cicada Killers???

What Killed the Cicada Killer???

Hi Rebecca,
Your wasp is a Cicada Killer, but we are very intrigued as to what might be causing these deaths on your patio.  We have two theories, and we will begin with the more offensive one.  Perhaps they are being poisoned by one of your neighbors.  Cicada Killers are large and scary, though they are not aggressive.  They build underground nests which the female provisions with paralyzed Cicadas to feed her brood.  Many people are frightened by the nesting activity and they try to eliminate the wasps.  We have also received a large number of reports of large Robber Flies this year.  Robber Flies are predators that take prey on the wing.  They have mouthparts adapted to sucking fluids from their prey, so they would not leave bite marks nor would they chew the prey.  Perhaps these Cicada Killers are falling prey to a large Robber Fly.

Posted 20 August 2011 § ‡ Comments (2) ° Tagged:
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Cicada Killer: Dead of Natural Causes in North Carolina!!!

Giant Bee?
Location: NC
August 17, 2011 6:13 pm
This was stuck on my screen door. It was dead when I found it. It’s huge and the stinger looks deadly! Thanks for your help in identifying this monster.
Signature: Sue in NC

cicada killer dead sue 279x300 Cicada Killer: Dead of Natural Causes in North Carolina!!!

Cicada Killer

Cicada Killer

Thank you so much for identifying my Cicada Killer. Your website gave me lots of  information on this marvelous creature. I would never kill one. The one that I found got stuck between some screen wire and died. The old saying “she wouldn’t hurt a fly”…definitely applies to me! I’d  open a door or window to let a fly escape before I’d harm it.
Sue in NC

Oh my goodness Sue,
We had to resurrect your letter from the trash and it made us sad that we cannot also resurrect this Cicada Killer.  Photos of dead Cicada Killers break our collective heart because we receive so many letters of Unnecessary Carnage and Cicada Killers are high on the list of frequent species-discrimination fear, rage and hate crimes.  We consider your testament to reading about the Cicada Killer, educating yourself and making an informed decision about how you would react upon encountering a Cicada Killer a worthy reason to be named to the Bug Humanitarian Award.  We could never claim that a Cicada Killer would never sting a person, and we would also concede that should a sting occur, it would most likely hurt, but we firmly believe that Cicada Killers would much rather use their gift of inducing paralysis on Cicadas than on people. 

Posted 18 August 2011 § ‡ Comments (2) ° Tagged:

Cicada Killer preys upon Dogday Harvestfly in MANHATTAN!!!

Cicada Killer…Killing a cicada!
Location: Morningside Park, Manhattan, New York
August 14, 2011 4:56 pm
I guess this wasp must be one of those Cicada Killers, judging by the fact that it is clearly killing this cicada! I saw this thing flying at me across a busy intersection near Morningside Park. The two bugs together made quite a large mass of buzzing insect, and at first I couldn’t figure out what it was, and just stepped back in fear of getting stung. Then I realized it was this wasp carrying its prey through the air. It landed on a nearby lamppost and I was able to snap a few shots, of which one came out decently. I hope you like it!
Signature: Jenny Jo

cicada killer eats cicada 255x300 Cicada Killer preys upon Dogday Harvestfly in MANHATTAN!!!

Cicada Killer preys upon Cicada

Hi Jenny Jo,
Though we have no shortage of Cicada Killers preying upon Cicadas on our site, what makes your letter so intriguing to us is your concise eye witness account as well as your location.  It is wonderful to know that both Cicada Killers and Cicadas can be found in Manhattan.  Your description of the Cicada Killer and its freight flying through the air and landing on a lamp post is critical to understanding the Cicada Killers instincts.  It is highly likely that the load weighs more than the carrier, and getting airborne from the ground is probably very difficult if not highly unlikely.  We have read that Cicada Killers climb up a tree or pole so that they do not have to take off from the ground, adding needed altitude to the flight.  It expends considerably less energy that way.  The fact that the Cicada Killer that you witnessed chose a lamp post as a landing field ensured that it would not have to search for a structure to climb while on the ground on a busy street in Manhattan, ensuring its survival until it reaches the site of its underground nest.  Thanks so much for submitting a photo to our site that did not require an identification.  As an aside, Annual Cicadas in the genus Tibicen, especially the northern species Tibicen canicularis, is frequently called the Dogday Harvestfly.  See BugGuide for verification.

Thanks for the note!  The wasp landed near the base of the lamp post
an did, indeed, climb upward after landing.  I didn’t have time to
stick around until she took off, though.  I love how she is able to
hang onto the texture of the paint with only one foot.

Posted 14 August 2011 § Cicadas ‡ Comments (0) ° Tagged:

Cicada Killer Sipping Lilac Sap

Sap sipping cicada killer?
Location: Evergreen Park, IL
August 11, 2011 6:10 pm
I had two ciacada killers flying around and sipping sap from (woodpecker) holes in the lilac bush. The sap must be very sweet as there were also flies, butterflies, bald face hornets, and another type of wasp (not a single yellow jacket though). For the insect world, they all got along pretty well despite all jockeying for any woodpecker hole that had sap.
Signature: Ozzy

cicada killer sipping lilac sap ozzy 300x206 Cicada Killer Sipping Lilac Sap

Cicada Killer Sipping Lilac Sap

Hi Ozzy,
WE are positively enthralled with your photo.  We get numerous images of dead Cicada Killers, Cicada Killers digging, and Cicada Killers preying upon Cicadas to feed their broods.  We have even received photos of mating Cicada Killers, but we almost never receive photos of Cicada Killers eating.  Typically, Cicada Killers will feed upon nectar, but your photo demonstrates another possibility, but since sap is high in sugar, this makes perfect sense.  Thanks so much for supplying us with this marvelous image.

Posted 12 August 2011 § ‡ Comments (0) °

Red Footed Cannibalfly dines on Paper Wasp

Cicada killer?
Location: Doylestown PA/ Stephens City VA
August 10, 2011 6:31 am
Greetings!
I have what I believe are cicada killer wasps living in my backyard:dirt mounds with tunnels, siting of very large(3 inches) insect like the one in the photo going into said mound. Meanwhile, my neice in VA took a pic that looks exactly like the critter I saw going into the mounds.My questions are: is this a photo on a cicada killer female, and what is going on in this photo?
Signature: Deb Kerns

cannibalfly eats wasp deb 225x300 Red Footed Cannibalfly dines on Paper Wasp

Red Footed Cannibalfly dines on Paper Wasp

Hi Deb,
The behavior you describe is consistent with that of Cicada Killers, however, the predator in the attached photo is a Robber Fly known as a Red Footed Cannibalfly.  It is feeding on a Paper Wasp.  Red Footed Cannibalflies would not be building underground nests, so despite the striped abdomen, if you compare this predator with this Cicada Killer image from our archives, you will see the apparent differences between the two insects.  The Cicada Killer is a much more robust insect.  Not having a photo in front of you and trusting your memory might be creating a false similarity between the two species.

Posted 10 August 2011 § Paper Wasps § Robber Flies ‡ Comments (0) ° Tagged:

Fanmail

love your site
August 1, 2011 5:56 pm
I just happened on your site while researching Cicada Killers. That was two hours ago. This is the best site I have found in ages. So thorough. Thank you.
Signature: Jerri

Hi Jerri,
Thanks for the compliment, and we also hope you left our site with a favorable impression of the much maligned Cicada Killer.

Indeed I did. I researched the Cicada Kille because my sister (who is allergic to bees) saw them at the Dunes National Park in Indiana and was terrified of the stinging appearance. Thank you for helping me to put her mind at ease. By the way she lives in Northwest Indiana and this is the first time she has seen them. Again Thanks.
Jerri Simon

Posted 01 August 2011 § ‡ Comments (0) ° Tagged:

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