"Cicada Killer" (Family Sphecidae - Specius speciosus)

This very large wasp occurs east of the Rocky Mountains and measures 1-9/16 inches in length. It has a black abdomen with pale yellow markings on the last three abdominal segments. Adults are seen in late July and August.

This wasp gets its name from the fact that it uses cicadas as food for its young. Cicadas are very large insects that are sometimes called "locusts." They sing loudly in the trees during late summer.

Cicada killers are solitary wasps. There may be many individuals flying over a lawn, but they do not nest together. Each female digs her own burrows. Burrows may be up to 10 inches deep and may extend another 6 inches horizontally. Burrows have piles of dirt piled up at their entrances. The wasp then locates a cicada, stings it to paralyze it and brings it back to the burrow. One or two cicadas may be placed in the burrow and an egg deposited on one. The wasp larvae feed on the paralyzed but still living cicada. Full grown larvae hibernate in the burrows, pupate in the spring and emerge the following summer as adults.

While cicada killers are beneficial in reducing cicada populations, they do cause lawn damage and are frightening to the homeowner because of their large size and massive populations. Fortunately, they sting only when strongly provoked.