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to Cicadas-of-Texas
Published: July 29, 2009 10:42 am
‘Cicada killers’ big but not bad
If you find yourself dodging some Texas-sized wasps whenever you step outside in recent weeks, don’t panic.
Many folks are seeing the large wasps flying low over their yards this time of year.
These dive bombers are usually accompanied by holes in the yard or flower beds that are surrounded by small piles of dirt.
These
wasps are cicada killers, and while they are big, they aren’t really so
bad, experts with the Texas AgriLife Extension Service say.
Cicada
killers are about one-and-a-half inches long with a reddish-brown head
and thorax and an abdomen that is black with yellow markings. Wings
have a rusty tinge.
The males can be aggressive and buzz near
people, but males are unable to sting. Females are capable of stinging
but are rarely aggressive towards humans or animals.
Females dig
burrows in the ground and use these burrows as nesting areas. Females
will sting and paralyze cicadas, take them back to the burrow and then
lay an egg upon it. When the egg hatches, the larvae feed upon the
cicada provided.
Cicada killers usually do not warrant any
control methods, experts say. They are actually beneficial insects that
help to reduce populations of cicadas. Those who feel they must do
something to manage them can sprinkle insecticidal dust around the
opening of the burrow.
For more information, contact Wizzie
Brown, Extension Program Specialist with Texas AgriLife Extension
Service, at 854.9600 or ebr...@ag.tamu.edu.