Did you notice sand wasps in your garden? Here’s how to get rid of sand wasps in simple and easy steps.
Sand Wasp
What Are These Bugs?
In the family Sphecidae, the term sand wasp is used to refer to some thread-waisted wasps.
The name is also used for some digger wasps that were initially placed in the family Sphecidae but are currently in the Square-headed wasp family called Crabronidae.
Sand wasps are called so because of their habit of digging tunnels in the sand to deposit their eggs.
These diligent workers are great at chipping away large chunks of the earth.
Using their mouthparts and the spines present on their front legs are called tarsal rakes.
With the combined effort of their mouthparts and tarsal rakes, the sand wasps successfully fling small dirt particles off to their stern.
Sand wasps get their work done so quickly that they appear to vanish from our view in seconds!
Just like most wasps and bees, sand wasps, too, enjoy their soil-y solitude.
Whitman’s Solitary Reaper has nothing on this insect predator who isolates itself and refuses to live in colonies.
This solitary pest can often be spotted hunting for habitat or already inhabiting mounds and burrows found in places with loose or sandy soil.
Living life like the Grinch, our wasp in the limelight is unlike social insects such as ants, honey bees, and some hornets; however, it can tolerate a few neighborly wasps nearby.
How To Get Rid of Them?
How To Identify Them?
Identified with the help of their distinctly long and tubular abdomen, sand wasps often sport a yellow band.
There are around twelve hundred different species of sand wasps found in North America.
Closely related to the Mud-dauber Wasp, they can be found inland, on the beachfront, and in dunes across the continent.
Although exotic types of variation will inevitably be seen, some defining features can be observed throughout the species.
The sand wasp belongs to the bembix genus and can be spotted donning a fuzzy head.
Sand wasps enjoy larger bodies that vary in length from 0.8 to 1 inch when compared to other wasps.
However, some sand wasp species can grow to be 2 inches long.
Sand wasps vary in color from yellow and black to white and black, with a bee-like stripe visible on their tube-shaped abdomen.
Everything comes down to the species. Their transparent wings have brown veins running through them, and their green eyes contrast with the rest of their body.
Sand wasps also have antennae that remain close to each other and yellow legs.
Are They Aggressive?
Sand wasps do not nest in a group and do not live in colonies.
Sometimes, when their nests are threatened and need defending, they may attack collectively as a swarm.
These insect predators are perfectly capable of delivering painful stings but are not aggressive by nature when compared to the European Wasp.
The sand wasp only ever attacks when its nest is disturbed.
In case a sand wasp has stung you, you can use an ice pack to relieve the pain. If you notice signs of an allergic reaction, seek medical care immediately.
Are They Dangerous?
The typically docile and harmless sand wasp is a firm believer in “live and let live.” It only attacks when stepped on or roughly handled.
Avoid them, and they will do the same to you! Unfortunately, sand wasps are solitary creatures.
Rather than living in a community like other wasps, each female sand wasp digs her own nest.
She takes care of it. Sand wasps can tolerate a few neighbors.
Hundreds of sand wasps can easily make nests and live in small areas, giving the appearance of a large wasp nest nearby.
Treating a large group of wasps is difficult because they do not share nests.
Sand Wasp Removal: Is it necessary?
Before you embark on a violent quest full of wasp-hunting and insecticide dust, consider the perks that they bring to the table.
Sand wasps love devouring flies and can significantly reduce their population in your yard.
Sand wasps certainly look intimidating but are quite beneficial insects that will diligently work around you rather than chase you away.
Insecticide Dust for Sand Wasps
This step involves the dusting of burrow entrances with D-Fense Dust.
You should first be dressed in the proper personal protective equipment (PPE) or don a professional bee suit to protect yourself from wasp stings.
Sand wasp control should be ideally done in the early spring season.
As sand wasps remain active during the daytime, this step should be carried out in the evening when they are the least operative.
Pesticide dust should be applied to all the wasps’ nests found on the soil surface to efficiently put sand wasps to death.
Use a pesticide that contains 0.05% deltamethrin which will help you keep sand wasps at bay for as long as eight months since the first usage.
To control sand wasp nest entryways from a distance, you should use a handheld duster with a slender extension tube.
Use 0.5 pounds of deltamethrin dust for every 1,000 square feet of the treatment area.
Make sure you keep plenty of room for the insecticide dust to merge amidst the air present inside for uniform application.
How To Get Rid of Sand Wasps Naturally
The prime nesting locations for sand wasps are usually areas that get a fair amount of sunlight and sparse vegetation.
You can prevent them from inhabiting these mounds by planting grass and saplings.
They will be discouraged by grass, ground cover, or other plants that grow in the sand.
Consider replacing the affected sand with topsoil or mulch if it is under a swing set or in a kid’s play area. Sand wasps will not survive in these environments.
How To Get Rid of Sand Wasps in Sandbox?
A tarp or sandbox cover will also suffice. This is a straightforward method for keeping wasps out of the sand.
Raking regularly also works by disturbing and demolishing the queen’s carefully constructed tunnels.
If you cover a sandbox and then keep raking it before or after each use, the female sand wasps would then move on, and the males will follow.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are sand wasps attracted to?
As stated by the Missouri Department of Conservation website, sand wasps are attracted to flies that are drawn to people and it is possible for a sand wasp to take a fly who is hovering around you.
Do sand wasps sting humans?
Sand wasps are one of many wasps that rarely sting humans. Although they can sting if handled incorrectly or walked on barefoot, they are not interactive such as bees and yellow jackets, and are rarely as fiercely defensive as those communal insects.
How do you find a sand wasp nest?
The nest is a tunnel or series of tunnels dredged into sparse vegetation or unvegetated sandy soil at the bottom of a burrow. Good nesting sites can be scarce, and because these insects are very tolerant of their neighbors, a few hundred may congregate in one area when conditions are favorable.
How deep do sand wasps dig?
A tunnel made by a female sand wasp is approximately ten or more inches long. Additionally, a few decoy tunnels are built to fool her predators. She lays a single egg per tunnel.
Wrap Up
Sand wasps are diligent diggers who simply mind their own business.
Chipping away gigantic chunks of earth, this insect predator is uninterested in the company of others and only tolerable to a few neighbors.
Our fuzzy-headed wasp is quite docile and isn’t dangerous to humans under normal circumstances.
Living with them certainly has its perks if you get comfortable with these transparent-winged pests. Thank you for reading!
