Cicada killers are the gentle giants of the wasp world, but their formidable name and size do not stop a few intrepid predators from hunting and eating them. Let’s see who their predators are.
Nature tells us that there is a cycle to everything, and those who prey on others shall themselves be preyed upon in time.
How true that is for the cicada killers!
A stunning predator who loves to prey on cicadas, cicada killers (Sphecius speciosus) are often eaten by larger predators like spiders, moths, birds, and even many mammalian species.
Cicada killers belong to the Hymenoptera order of the Insecta class and are part of the Crabronidae family. These wasps are sometimes also called Sand Hornets or Cicada Hawks.
Predominantly seen in Central America and Mexico, they are native to North America and are beneficial insects that do not harm anyone (except for the cicadas!).
What Eats Cicada Killers?
Some of the common predators that thrive on Cicada Killers include amphibians like salamanders, mammals such as honey badgers, several birds, and insects like robber flies.
Amphibians
Frogs and other Amphibians, like salamanders, etc., are pretty commonly found enjoying eating wasps. They can eat the wasps with ease as the stings of the Cicada Killer or any wasp do not affect them.
Mammals
Honey Badgers and Bears are often seen scavenging through tunnels and creeks during summer months in search of wasps.
Other mammals that eat Cicada killer include Mice, weasels, and even bats. They are known to hunt these wasps, their eggs, and larvae.
Birds
Birds like Chickadees, Chirping Sparrows, Orioles, Bluebirds, Warblers, etc., often prey on these wasps as they are easy to hunt.
These wasps are not aggressive, unlike others in their family.
Warblers prey on the wasps mid-flight and trap them between their beaks. However, during the breeding season, most birds generally revert to consuming fruits, nuts, berries, sap, etc.
Insects
Insects like Praying mantes, dragonflies, beetles, centipedes, hoverflies and moths also feed on cicada killers, even if most of these adult insects prefer nectars and saps.
Many of these bugs are omnivores, and they can feed on any insect that is easily available, which makes cicada killers a prime target.
Spiders generally trap the wasps in their web and gradually feed on them. Like birds, robber flies also attack these wasps mid-flight and paralyze them with a venomous sting.
What Eats Their Larvae?
Even though the Cicada Killer is known for its predatory trait, these solitary wasps are quite vulnerable when they are in their larval stage.
One of the most dangerous and common enemies of the cicada killer larva is the Velvet Ant. Despite the confusing name, velvet ants are actually wasps, not ants. They simply don’t have wings.
Velvet Ants stalk adult cicada killers and enter the tunnel dug by them. In a wicked irony of fate, these wasps lay their eggs in their nest cell, just like the female wasp lays her eggs on cicadas.
Once the wasp larvae hatch, they feed on the paralyzed cicada and then pupate. The velvet ants’ killer larvae lie waiting for this moment and immediately attack these pupae and eat them.
How Else To Get Rid of Cicada Killers through Natural Ways?
Cicada killers are neither dangerous nor are they pests. However, they can be a nuisance because they like to fly around in large numbers (even though they are solitary).
One of the easiest and most common practices is using boiling water in their nests. What you need to do is to pour hot water through the tunnel when the wasp is in its lair.
You can do this several times throughout the area, wherever there are burrows. This will kill the adults, their larvae, pupae, and eggs.
Here are a few more things that you can do without having to use pesticides on them:
- Spray loose soil with lime and fertilizers to ensure the growth of tall grasses. Cicada killers don’t create underground burrows in grounds that have grass on them.
- Add upto 3 inches of mulch under the shrubs and garden beds.
- Make sure that you add plenty of water throughout your garden, as these wasps cannot make their nests in wet or muddy soil.
- It is also possible to block any burrow entrances with a stick and remove the nearby dirt. If you find wasps coming back to enter their tunnels, simply stomp on them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do cicada killers have predators?
Yes, from amphibians like frogs and salamanders to birds and insects like Praying Mantis, these wasps have many enemies.
Even though cicada killers are themselves predatory insects feeding on cicadas, these wasps are hunted by others. Even mammals like weasels, mice, and Honey Badgers feed on Cicada Killer wasps.
What are cicada killers attracted to
Cicada killers are attracted to areas with sandy soil (hence the name Sand Hornet), creeks between concrete, window boxes, and even lawns with dried and sparse grass. These places are optimal for burrowing tunnels for the females to lay eggs in.
Moreover, these wasps are attracted to flowery gardens since they primarily feed on nectar. Female cicada killers also look for green fields with foliage where cicadas are found in abundance.
What animal kills wasps
It is very common to see cicada killers being attacked by larger mammalian predators like honey badgers, beavers, mice, weasels, and even black bears. Bats and birds like bluebirds, orioles, chickadees, and sparrows also attack these wasps.
What happens if a cicada killer bites you
Cicada killers or sand hornets cannot bite humans and seldom pose a threat to humans. However, if prodded or disturbed, they can sting, but these wasp stings are not very painful, unlike those of social wasps like yellow jackets and giant hornets.
These wasps prefer escaping rather than attacking almost all the time. Despite their gigantic size and alarming appearance, the cicada killers are called the gentle giants of the wasp world.
There is No Escaping The Food Cycle of Nature
Even though they resemble the deadly murder hornets, these beneficial wasps are responsible for saving deciduous vegetation from the attack of the cicadas.
Unfortunately, every hunter must become the hunted, and so is the tale of the cicada killer wasp.
There are many who notice its lack of aggression and fancy it as an easy protein-filled snack!
