Facts: Cicada Killer Wasp
Name: Sphecius speciosus
Appearance: Cicada killer wasps are one of the largest wasps in North America, growing between ½” to 2” inches depending on the sex (females grow to roughly twice the size of males). Their bodies are covered in yellow and black stripes, with reddish-brown wings.
Habit: These pests are often first seen in the late summer months, and are gone again by the early fall. Cicada killer wasps are burrowing pests, creating holes and subsequent “mounds” in lawns and gardens. These holes are dug by the female wasp to create a nesting site for her young, and are generally around 10 to 20 inches deep and a ½ inch wide. They are often seen burrowing in all types of lawns, flower beds, and gardens, and prefer areas that are in direct sunlight.
Health/Damage Concerns: Cicada killers are often feared because of their large size and hornet-like coloring, but are typically non-aggressive. Females have been known to sting on occasion, but not unless they are aggressively handled.
Diet: Adult Cicada killer wasps are plant feeders that enjoy plant nectar and sap. The adults do NOT feed on Cicadas. Females will paralyze cicadas with their sting in order to bring them back to their nesting site to feed to their offspring.
Reproduction: During the summer months, male and female Cicada killer wasps begin mating. Females will find an area to burrow a suitable nest, and then begin the search for cicadas with which to provision her nest. Females will capture a certain number of cicadas depending on the sex of the offspring; 1 cicada for male offspring, and 2 to 3 for females, as they will grow to nearly twice the size of the male. The newly hatched grubs will use the cicadas as food, and will emerge from the nesting site several weeks later. Burrows often have more than one nest cell, with other females using the same main tunnel as other females, but burrowing off of the main tunnel and creating their own nesting cell.
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