Cicada Killer Wasp Facts: they EAT cicadas | Animal Fact Files

[@AnimalFactFiles]

Our newer videos have less text on screen and better audio quality. Be sure to check one out! Here's our recommendation: Parasitic Wasp Facts - kzbin.info/www/bejne/d3iQdZ2aib2HZ5I We're also on Patreon! If you enjoy these videos, and are able, please support us so we can continue to grow 👉 www.patreon.com/animalfactfiles

[@jiemelgould8664]

I grow up in NJ we used to call them hornets they used to be at a baseball field holes in the dirt mounds and ground

[@enby_kensei]

Once when taking a walk with my then girlfriend, one of these things buzzed past my ear, carrying a cicada. Nearly gave me a heart attack; I was so startled.

[@AnimalFactFiles]

That would be startling!

[@talon24]

Who else is here after seeing one of these in their back yard for the first time..

[@ianhornbuckle9089]

Me!!! I’m 25...

[@Turtl3herm1t]

Thought it was a murder hornet

[@Worldto-uo5im]

One flew into my job the other day I was terrified lol

[@dabawla]

Saw a cicada taken this morning in my back yard. Took em down like a pro. Really cool to see.

[@carolynsullivan2711]

talon24 sadly it’s a dead one now darted at my dog and I stepped on it . Was shocked at its size had to find out what it was . I think this is it .

[@hoopsmccann639]

i worked at a golf course in swpa for 19 years. we had cicada killers that frequented the sand traps on #2 and #4. the grounds crew left them alone because they kept the cicadas in check. i felt bad when i had to rake the traps because i kept covering up their burroughs. i actually saw one attack a cicada one time. it was pretty cool! the wasp landed on the cicada and kept picking it up about 6 inches or so and slamming it into the sand before it finally dragged it under ground. the attack only took a minute or so. it was pretty cool to see.

[@mattdeangelis5696]

I used to see them in an open field I used to play baseball at when I was younger. They were abundant where I was and frequently saw them carrying cicadas down to their nests in the ground. Always wondered what they were called, but now it makes sense with their name haha! They are much bigger than people may think!

[@timc333]

Actually I agree completely , I have seen not one picture that actually does their size justice , they are very very large creatures , yet very peaceful as well I call them fascinating .

[@TheInnerEliteNetwork]

At a softball game today at a killer carrying it's victim flew under my bleacher into some bush. At first I thought it was a hornet. Now I know what I witnessed.

[@nullnull1781]

I have one that I hunted down when I was 10, stalked to its lair that I eventually found, and sat in front of with a jar for a long time before it came back out and I caught it. I’m 41 now.

[@grndragon7777777]

I saw one fly by me on my porch. Never seen a wasp so large. It kind of startled me.

[@AnimalFactFiles]

That would startle me, too!

[@KennyKaGe23]

Yay, the reason I requested this so many times is because I saw one and it kept following me and when I ran it followed me into my porch and hovered around for a bit. Guess it was just "investigating". Thank you so much guys.

[@AnimalFactFiles]

That's really neat! Were you nervous at all?? Wasps kind of make me a little jumpy, admittedly. ;)

[@KennyKaGe23]

@@AnimalFactFiles yes the first time I ran into the house for 30minutes or so and when I came back out it was still there checking out the plants. I felt assaulted. They took bees to court (reference) I wonder if I can take this behemoth of a wasp to court.

[@1979bobhd]

@@AnimalFactFiles you would have to make a very aggressive approach towards the Cicada Killer and put it in a position that it felt there was no other choice but to sting you. Seriously just go on about your business, they are just checking you out and when their curiosity is satisfied they will leave you alone.

[@MannyWC]

「BLK dolphin」 yes same! Have been chased and stalked by them at the moment in my front and back yard... so...they won’t sting??? That is the moral of the story to me...

[@MannyWC]

Bob Biker I would love to go about my business, but they charge and chase me! Ugh... and like she said, they hover by my front door waiting on me (or so it seems!)

[@AlexisLeffew]

This was super well done, with a great narrating voice! I learned so much, thank you!

[@AnimalFactFiles]

Thank you!

[@Flexizy7]

I looked this up because there's a bunch by the grass and trees that line my apartment building, they're super big and scary. It's good to know they rarely attack humans unless provoked. I can't imagine them being aggressive, i'd be terrified.

[@josephsmith590]

They really aren't aggressive, but to use wasp killer on them really doesn't do much, they take so much to bring down.

[@lynnfelgar5801]

@@josephsmith590 Y use ANYTHING against them? Are they bothering you ..are you afraid of the unknown facts pertaining to them? GOOGLE them and educate yourself and others. Like spiders and snakes..NOT ALL ARE BAD..learn to live within your environment in a safe manner..not a deadly one in which you Kill everything you don't like( fir whatever reason) or haven't educated yourself enuff..peace

[@josephsmith590]

@@lynnfelgar5801 because I used to work on a college campus as a work study where people didn't know anything about nature and were incredibly dumb. Hopefully that answers your question lol didn't say i liked having to kill them. Don't think I'm uneducated on them, I didn't have a choice due to their locations and people using that area for traffic.

[@lynnfelgar5801]

@@josephsmith590 still _ NO reason to kill them at all. Period...you just place signs out educating people that they're in the area and they won't attack ppl if NOT harassed by people to start with..You made that choice and hopefully now you're educated enuff yourself to realize killing them wasn't the correct answer to the situation We all learn something new..... daily l hope

[@josephsmith590]

@@lynnfelgar5801 you still aren't listening, I know about them, have for years. And if someone doesn't care or a drunk student stomps on one that sign won't matter

[@dondiego124]

my Dad has a about 30-40 living around his pool they don't mess with us at all, once one flew up to my face and just looked at me closely for about 3 seconds then went on its way. i do notice around the time they're around there are a lot less other kinds of bugs around.

[@strings491]

Cicada killers are the only wasps I don't mind

[@ketonoob]

Same. They've been around my parent's pool for years. They don't bother anyone. I consider them friends lol.

[@Zay-lh4om]

@@strings491 and European hornets

[@NecoJesus]

Got stung by one of these about 10 years ago. Was a young and very dumb kid and wanted to keep it as a pet, fucked around and managed to get ahold of it, no gloves whatsoever mind you, and after a couple seconds of holding it, it managed to sting me UNDER MY THUMBNAIL. It was absolutely excruciating, almost as bad as breaking my leg. One of the top 5 most painful things I've ever experienced. I will never forget it.

[@kh7955]

These guys are awesome. They almost never sting a human being

[@jw870206]

I was playing 9 holes of golf, the other day, and one of the fairways was swarming with these wasps. There were burrows everywhere. I knew cicada killers would not attack humans unless backed into a corner, so to speak, and we walked right across the fairway. They were flying all over the place, and even went out of their way to more or less avoid us. They would buzz by us, but that was the extent of their aggressive behavior toward us. My only concern was if one got curious enough and got inside my clothing, but that didn't happen. I wouldn't recommend walking across that fairway, but there really wasn't much else I could do to get to my ball. I will admit having a bit of a fearful reaction to them, since they are formidable insects in size and overall appearance.

[@AnimalFactFiles]

No aggression is always good. =) Hope you had a fun day on the course even with the noisy neighbors!

[@philiplongee1149]

Plenty of cicadas for the killers to harvest around my apartment. I didn't know the males die shortly after mating. I see several wasps buzzing around. I only know when they make a hit when the cicada make weird squeal instead their usual droning buzz. Good work.

[@frenchyplaymc6020]

I have never seen one carry a cicada but now I know what they do! The hovering thing explained! I have a major vote on the orange throated darter as a video idea!

[@AnimalFactFiles]

Yeah it is really fascinating what behaviors different animals exhibit! Oh and we have those fish on the list for sure. We'll be sure to let you know when the video goes up, though it can sometimes take awhile.

[@frenchyplaymc6020]

@@AnimalFactFiles no rush! Can't wait to see it and future videos!

[@pappamolly1457]

I hate that everyone is acting like these are murder hornets and saying”why are people freaking out these have been here for years”

[@tejeo4451]

Pappa Molly you can tell the cicada killer has big red eyes and is yellow and black murder hornets are orange and black

[@BulletProofBreast]

I saw a 2 inch hornet looking thing approach. Didn't have time to analyze the details. Too busy soiling myself

[@bugenthusiast8892]

Ikr.

[@CyanGreyFox]

Blame the media, always making a volcano out of a water fountain

[@Iconic_maya9]

Same

[@jacobburnett7205]

My mom has been stung by one and I think my grandad as well as uncle everyone I've ever heard who has been stung by one has told me it hurts beyond belief and words cannot describe how bad the pain.

[@jacobburnett7205]

@funniredditman whatever it was everyone who was stung by it said I hurt like you know what. I didn't even think Mudd dauber even sting though. But yeah idk for sure what it was

[@connieclay3342]

Unfortunately I have had a whole backyard full of these swarming things for 3 years now. My lawn guy refuses to cut my grass when they are swarming. I've called exterminators but they still come back each summer. ☹️

[@dustinmj29]

Yup. Thank you for this. This amazing thing happened right above me one day in my driveway. You could hear the sound of it hitting the cicada and I'm telling you, this thing was much bigger than the cicada by at least an inch. It had it wrapped up Thai fighter style and was stinging it. It was the coolest and strangest thing I'd ever seen a wasp do. I feel like they are meant to be left alone, considering they get rid of cicadas which as far as I know do absolutely nothing for the betterment of the world. But the wasp definitely pollinates so yeah ill just leave them alone.

[@julianskowron7964]

We had a whole bunch of these friendly fellas around my house. The burrowing in the front yard would annoy my mom, so my dad would take a tennis racket out there and shred them as they hovered.

[@shawnhuggett4839]

I sprayed one with pesticide and caught it in a jar. 4 days later its still trying to sting

[@mossutan1275]

It sounds like it's mad.

[@txzombie8282]

Shoot it with some buck shot & destroy it

[@lpslover206]

These were all over my yard this summer. It was so annoying when i had to water my plants.

[@Mr.WellingtonVonDukeIII]

So I cut lawns commercial and residential in MI I was edging up a residential and saw one of those big wasps grabbing onto a cicada barely able to fly in my direct path of the edger blade I didn't chop her up because I was stunned at her size. At first I thought it was a giant Japanese hornet but the coloration didn't match but by golly she was a big girl though!

[@Mr.WellingtonVonDukeIII]

That burrow! That was the same protrusion at the driveways edge! Oops, I spared her life but F'd up her home.

[@mark6302]

I need a few hundred of these guys right now my backyard sounds like a power sub station

[@remanjecarter2787]

Can you do Argonauts? I think they're a cool type of octopus and have a pretty shell

[@AnimalFactFiles]

Yes, those guys are really neat. I put them on the list.

[@pauljames5826]

The largest group of these wasps that I’ve seen to date was when I was touring Biltmore House in Asheville NC - it was a very hot day and we were resting beneath a vine covered pergola. There was a slate surface below with sand in between the slabs. There were possibly ten wasp burrows just in that shady area but the weren’t preying on cicadas - Katydids were on the menu that afternoon. There was a huge population of katydids in the vines covering the pergola.

[@19AGJ86]

I always run when I see these.

[@intheclear3492]

A J me too

[@tejeo4451]

You don’t have to bruh they not after humans just don’t scare it and you’ll be good

[@rayvon7342]

Fr

[@statikcitten9]

Right. I haven't been able to use my front entrance in like 3 weeks because of these fkrs.

[@statikcitten9]

@@tejeo4451 How do we know what's going to scare it?

[@aetherslugstar1889]

We have these here in Mississippi. A friend of mine sits their sting hurts like a marvin heckler.

[@Bonklyboi]

Excuse me. Hurts like a WHAT now????

[@indumatipngtuber2790]

r/brandnewsentences

[@txzombie8282]

The FUdge is a Marvin heckler?

[@calebw140]

There’s a shitload of these things by the job site I’m working at and I love watching them while I’m on my smoke break they’re so uninterested in me but I’m super interested in them

[@AnimalFactFiles]

Oh that's awesome! Fun to watch!

[@v3nom0us_v1per]

Today I kinda saved a Cicada from one, although it's still paralyzed. I have no clue if the effects on the Cicada are permanent or not. Hopefully not, but I'll keep my eye on it just in case.

[@seanbond6454]

2:00 the fly is like “whatcha doin, huh? Can I come? Can I?”

[@bodkinrappallum6137]

Glad to know what these are! One of them made my mailbox his lair, and he's a right little a**hole! He chased me all around my yard ruthlessly! I mean seriously, he followed me into the yard, down the street, and almost into my house! He was ON MY TAIL man! Mean thang

[@TryllHDTv]

Just moved to Minnesota 4 months ago from Seattle. Just found one of these in my window and about had a stroke. Never seen anything quite this big over in Seattle.

[@captainmeow2771]

It seems there is always a fly around asking, "are you going to finish that?"

[@FinancialStorm7]

"If YoU dOn'T bOtHeR tHeM, tHeY wOn'T bOtHeR yOu" is what I'm always told, but these things decide to fly between my ass cheeks and expect me to not attack them. I hate all wasps

[@dannywayne311]

I pissed one off and it didn’t get me, but I smacked my head on a table trying to duck it, luckily this one won’t be back to bother my rescued kitten again 🦇

[@txzombie8282]

Those species that are known to fly/attack the ass cheeks are known as Ass Hornets & are known to attack right betwixt ass cheeks leaving a small sting or hickey sometimes as a parting gift so to speak. Buzz buzz buzz betwixt the ass cheeks goes the Azz Cheek Hornet 🐝 🐝 🐝🐝

[@QEDOma]

This summer while my friends and I were relaxing in the pool we heard this screaming buzzing noise come flying not so gracefully by us! It landed on a railing of the deck so me being kind of a bug fanatic ( I love dragonflies) I got closer. At first I couldn’t figure out what the heck it was except that it was definitely some kind of huge wasp. Then I realized it had a cicada under its belly! I’d never seen anything like it in my 60+ years! I started yelling at my friends to come look thinking it was a “killer wasp” we had heard about on Facebook so they of course didn’t want to get too close. I wish I had my camera ready because I feel like I could have gotten a fantastic picture of it. Can’t wait to see the next one, maybe next summer!

[@AnimalFactFiles]

We love dragonflies, too! That sounds like a really awesome experience and it's really cool you got to share it with your friends (even if they were a bit intimidated). Hopefully you'll see another soon!

[@jamesb1221222]

Pretty laid back for what is essentially a big ass hornet. See em while camping in the mountains all the time, I spilled a beer next to the fire and one was all over it, then he started flying sideways lol.

[@MRptwrench]

As I mentioned on another vid on this channel about wasssssssps, I am a big defender of the nasties. Cicada Killers will sometimes get caught up my family's auto shop in the summer, and with the high ceilings and relatively low overhead door opening, they get stuck inside. Most of the staff is nervous of the huge wasp and would be happy to spray insecticide at them. I found that discharging compressed air at one will drop it to the ground, unharmed where I can pick them up, without ever getting stung, and release them. Of course I've done it many times, but I also recommend the novice just using a dustpan or box.

[@gregmiller7001]

ahh this brings back memories cause when I was kid every summer cicada killers would dig their burrows around my house and I would go out with a small shovel wait for them to land and crawl through the grass then assonate them. I even drowned one with a hose once.

[@gregmiller7001]

They don’t sting I use to swing at them with a shovel and they did nothing

[@bradsnapp8437]

@@gregmiller7001 Females sting but the males don't.

[@adamburnette]

Have a few of these around. I see them flying slowly bringing all kinds of insects back. Very cool actually

[@frankedgar6694]

Out of curiosity, I moved a tiny people that was close to the entrance of a burrow. She buzzed around for about 5 seconds before I put it back where it belonged. She immediately went to the burrow. I’ve never seen a cicada killer being a cicada to the burrow. I’m curious about how they manage to get their prey onto the hole. It’s way bigger than any cicada killer burrow I’ve ever seen.

[@LiftUpYourEyes]

I got a job in concrete construction, i see these things on my worksites a lot. They are big and scary but they never fly to close to people unless youre standing ontop of their hole they spent their entire life diging. They occasionally fly into me when they are carying around their cicada kills. They're flying sound is very quiet surprisingly, so they dont scare the shit out of people while we're working.

[@aquabreeze7612]

I saw one on my way home from work once. I knew they weren’t agressive but my ape brain still went “NOPE” and I booked it in the other direction

[@ftniceberg874]

I watched a giant one snatch a cicada out of the sky and fly off while it screamed. Biggest wasp I've ever seen and I did think it was a hornet. Glad to hear they are not aggressive, but still not gonna hang out if I see one around.

[@AnimalFactFiles]

They are HUGE. It's hard to express in video!

[@charliehay1520]

I saw something like this but was around 7 inches long..it had identical markings.. Is it possible for them to even get that big? This was in Palmyra IN around the summer of 2010..

[@TheTraveler33]

I was outside in my back yard when I was about 10 years old. One of these attacked a cicada in a tree close to where I was. They both hit the ground in front of me as the wasp was mounted on the back of the cicada stinging it. I STILL obviously remember it because it made an impression on me. When they were still up in the tree, it got my attention by the strange way the cicada was screeching. Which didn't sound normal. Then when they fell to the ground, I seen why. That's actually why I clicked on this video.

[@mikeparkes7922]

Interesting and informative video. Thank you.

[@AnimalFactFiles]

Thanks so much. Glad you enjoyed it! 😊

[@_P0tat07_]

I’ve swung at these bastards with tennis rackets, golf clubs, fly swatters, etc. and I have never gotten stung by them. Not saying you should attack them, and I’m not saying they won’t attack you back, I’m just sharing my experience.

[@ericstrong513]

These are around my house when the annual cicadas start to show up. Have had as many as 20 wasps some years. A lot of people freak when they see them and kill them. Just let them fly around, they won't do squat unless you really mess with them. A neighbor has a hummingbird feeder, the wasps love to show up and buzz the deck. The wasps are so laid back sometimes he can get them to land on his hand. They make great pets, lol.

[@RoadNoise29100]

Great video! There will be tons of Cicada actipn in Indiana this year...it's a 2-17 year!!!!

[@TheCjadams77]

I recently witnessed one attack a cicada and pulled it to the ground and dragged it away. Quite amazing. Thanks for the insightful video.

[@jilligain3409]

There was one at my hummingbird feeder this afternoon. I tried to get as close as possible w/o disturbing it trying to decide if it was a cicada killer or one of those murder hornets. And it got alil curious about me so it flew around checking me out. I stood there motionless & it finally went back to feeding at the hummingbird feeder. Pretty cool! Alil nerve racking but cool

[@AnimalFactFiles]

That would be quite the experience! Good on you for not freaking out (50/50 shot I would have 😅😅)

[@adamgriffin8009]

These are scary looking but not aggressive at all. I actually don't know what you'd have to do to get one to actually sting you but it would have to be a lot. I treat yards for mosquitoes with a loud backpack sprayer and I've been in yards with hundreds with no stings.

[@VictorFursov]

Thank you for interesting video story. Best wishes!

[@AnimalFactFiles]

Thank you so much!

[@happyhome41]

Great video. Obviously beneficial, and we have an over abundance of cicada in northern Virginia - how to encourage the wasps to take up residence near us ? 🤷‍♂

[@evaarnold9396]

There is a nest of them next to my bedroom window. They are like insects and never sleep at night and come to any bright iight you turn on. I'm getting a bug zapper for my deck.

[@chitinskin9860]

They nest underground. Those aren't cicada killers.

[@jasonmac8677]

Most of the time, the sting delivered by the Cicada Killer Wasp isn't all that bad. About as intense as a honey bee sting, a dirt dauber wasp sting, or even much less. If that happens, they're just warning us to let them be. But if they're somehow really pissed off at you, their sting can then be *much* more intense. Very nearly, but not quite as painful as the sting of a Tarantula Hawk wasp. The reason this is possible is because most solitary wasps like these have an interesting ability that most, but not all eusocial wasps, bees, and ants lack. They can deliver a sting *without any venom* if they so choose, as well as vice versa. Another prime example sharing this ability are all the varieties of another solitary wasp, wingless wasps widely known as the Velvet Ant or Cow Killer Ant. In addition, most, if not all wasp species capable of doing this can consciously determine *how much* venom is delivered by their sting each time, enabling them to not only determine sting intensity, but also conserve venom. It's relatively rare for people to get stung by a Cicada Killer wasp unless someone is handling in the wrong way them or intentionally provoking them. There are exceptions to that of course, but in the main, that's their usual behavior towards people. Fascinating creatures.

[@mackenzierivercasey6752]

I've hung out with wild deer, wild rabbits on walks, I've ran into skunks, as a kid played with racoons, ran into coyotes....I've held bumble bees and spiders and garden snakes....NONE of them bothered me or tried to hurt me. THE ONLY animal that ever tried to hurt me was wasps! Numerous times and every time I was minding my own business lmfao! They SUCK! We don't have these types in southern Canada much though....just yellow jackets mostly. They sting repeatedly too! I've been stung at least five times in the course of my life. I've gotten used to it lol! It's so bad that I don't even yelp. I just flinch and keep walking away until they leave me alone. The more you swat, the more mean they get lol! You just have to take it.....little buggers lol! I am impressed with the homes they create though....gotta say!

[@jadenl629]

Great video!

[@7596insano]

Ya know this makes a lot of sense that the females aren’t always successful in bringing the cicadas back to their burrows bc Im always finding cicadas on the ground that are acting as if they’re trying to wake up and acting erratic. Can they recover from the sting?

[@AnimalFactFiles]

I would guess they don't recover. They're actually alive when placed in the burrow to keep them fresh - which I know can be pretty diabolical sounding. My guess would be they would want the cicada to remain as motionless as possible, so the chance of them "coming out of it" would want to be avoided. I tried looking this up for more information but couldn't find anything. If I come across more, I'll be sure to make a note of it!

[@xandervapes8763]

I've had cicada killers follow me around my back yard before. They've always been so docile towards my dogs and I. Chances are they were doing one of two things. 1. They were following me around while I look for yellowjackets nests thinking they'll find something to eat. 2. It's just investigating a creature that's 100 times bigger than it, maybe trying to learn about this creature that walks on 2 legs instead of flying. Usually when I'd return to my back porch, it'd just fly away and mind its own business. Honestly cicada killers have no interests in humans aside from simply investigating them. The only time they really strike is when someone or something else makes the first move.

[@princessolmeca2933]

I only know about these big bugs because they've found a home in a few of our hedges at CPCC, so it's not really possible to work around them. I'm glad to know they don't harm humans as opposed to other wasps.

[@rye4074]

I guess I'm to late me and my day just spent 2 hours smacking them with snow shovels 🤣

[@RedForeman]

seen this with my own eyes as I left the park I literally got out of my car to see what the bee had dropped since it was so unusual and it was a big huge cicada … now I have my answers thank you 😊

[@AnimalFactFiles]

Nice sighting!

[@audreyyvette4810]

Ummm they are EXTREMELY AGGRESSIVE in my experience ! We have loads of them in my backyard and if you simply walk outside they will attack you. I’ve gotten stung multiple times just sitting outside. It’s so painful

[@wretchedcunt6588]

no they arent. we used to aggressively swing rackets at them and even clap them in our hands and they still wouldnt sting. ur prolly dealin with something else

[@kevinconleysage2659]

You're probably dealing with paper wasps, those things are assholes and will wait for you to come out of hiding to attack you again.

[@txzombie8282]

Right? They are huge scary looking & intimidating mutha FUdgers! Only investigating me my ass! They chase you if you run! 🏃‍♂️ 🐝 I'll be prepared next time & be waiting for it with a nice little surprise of buck shot for its wasp a$$! You ain't FUdging with me no more Cicada Wasp!!

[@BlackFlagHeathen]

That’s so interesting how they don’t have a normal colony with a queen, workers, drones, etc. We had these guys nesting between our house and the neighbors’ house every year, so wrangling them was a team effort lol. Naturally us kids were terrified of them, we didn’t know they weren’t aggressive, unlike other wasp species.

[@alwysnxtgen8405]

I just seen one in university area Charlotte, got curious and now I'm here

[@harrybarry2291]

Super cool. How would you like to be a living host to a wasp larvae ?

[@eazypeezy6195]

Have a few in my back yard. Seen a few of them come back from forging with a cicada, and drags it into their hole! Super cool!

[@matt940]

One of these was just chasing me in the backyard and it wasnt fun.

[@BrassBashers]

"Pretty docile.." Umm from experience they love to make nests in golf holes.. And from friends account when they sting a person it feels like a golf ball hit you and hurts all day! I worked landscaping at a golf course and changed holes regularly. Black widows like to make nests underneath the aluminum golf cups as well. Maybe the cicada killers eat them?? Idk

[@jorleonelescott755]

The ones in my yard are aggressive. I cannot even have a smoke outside as they would swing by multiple times even if I just stand still. I have to walk a quarter mile from my house to have a smoke. Super annoying

[@AreaThirteenThirteen]

I remember my grandfather used to call them Hermit Hornets.

[@MuneShadow1]

I have had one of those things land in my hair after getting in a scuffle with a cicada.

[@txzombie8282]

That's frigging *_TERRIFYING!_* I would freaked out like crazy, wet my pants & ran off screaming like a little girl.

[@gailvin6895]

Have had them for the first time over the last 10 days. We have had warm weather and garage door was covered with them. We cannot seem to locate the nest, looking around the ground under trees. How long will they be around? This is the northeast and colder weather arriving will that do away with them?

[@AnimalFactFiles]

Cold weather usually drives away most insects, so it's likely the same for wasps you might be seeing. However, if you're noticing places covered in them, that could suggest you have some social wasps hanging around which may not be cicada killers as these are solitary wasps. Then again maybe your garage door is just attractive to them! Either way, hope you're able to get things worked out, I'm sure that can be frustrating to deal with.

[@gailvin6895]

@@AnimalFactFiles Thank You. Hopefully first real frost will do away with it all.

[@genericaccount4974]

Pretty sure these are the giants we've been seeing in our backyard lately (June). We've a large circular plot of sand (used for leveling above ground pools), and banana trees. Saw a couple of them zipping around the yard this evening. Must have been 3 inches in length. Not really sure I went them here with a toddler and newborn about.

[@rotoocold3444]

They’re harmless to humans the males are aggressive but don’t have stingers and the females could care less about you but they have stingers

[@domtom010]

I'm here b/c there's a bunch of these making nests around my house. I have an irrational fear of bees/wasps so these are just nightmare fuel for me regardless of their docile temperament. Cicada Wasp: *exists* Me: So you have chosen death...

[@onmysoul4821]

these things have started showing up in my porch, im on a killing spree

[@rakim750]

Those wasps are terrifying and they are bigger than sn inch.

[@9unslin9er]

Actually, I find them kind of adorable compared to yellowjackets. I hate Cicadas, so this is a welcome species.

[@trenaebowers1968]

There are cicada wasps in Florida How long do they live there since it's always warm and there's always cicadas there

[@Jboogie_19]

I literally found this in my front yard and I don’t even live near them

[@zachchamblee4094]

Do they sting, I'm assuming so, I had 2 cicadas on my green broom bristles so they don't use sight to find them I can assure you. It has to be smell

[@oriraykai3610]

With a gestation cycle of 17 years for cicadas, those are very patient wasps to starve that long between meals.

[@dr.zoidberg5096]

Caught one of these and plan to put it on display. Talk about shaking like a leaf on a tree lol.

[@AnimalFactFiles]

Whew! You are far more courageous than I am!!!

[@mixedhairless]

Saw this in action today in NYC Central Park. Wasp carrying a cicada into its lair.. 🤯

[@altonlynch5464]

I've been stung by one before, and it was very painful.

[@timc333]

In almost every case with most all bee's , the super aggressive ones are males , most species if not all the male's do not and can not sting , they have a proboscis that resembles a stinger but it is only used for reproduction , yes they can bite but can't sting , so the ones you run away from and then remember all summer were the males clearing their territories , and yes they can and most likely see you as a threat to their females . The more one learns the more fascinating they become . These Cicada killers are actually very very peaceful , just stay calm around them they will not bother you , if they want to check you out let them calmly , if you can't just very calmly and slowly get up and go inside at a slow walk , they will leave you alone . If you see a giant Asian or European hornet , same applies , except , protect your eyes , for real both can and will shoot venom at you , I had that experience with a giant European hornet that got inside my house , I knew to put on sunglasses for the fight otherwise it would have got me . Just a little knowledge and trivia .

[@andrewjones6693]

I read up on these quite a few years ago when I first discovered them. The males do not have the capability to sting and spend most of their time looking for females. I used to sit in the middle of my rather dry yard and the males would perch on my knee or the end of my sneaker as a lookout post. When a female would fly by - off they went after her! I think 2021is a Cicada Brood X major emergence year here in New Jersey, USA, so maybe the Cicada Killers will be out in force too!

[@AnimalFactFiles]

Oh that sounds fun, though I think I would have a difficult time doing it! Good on you! And yes, it's a big brood this year in many areas, so it'll be interesting to see how that unfolds!

[@fishycomics]

I got one in the back, the ants are enjoying it right now

[@hellfire08]

They made a nest right next to the entrance of my job. I killed about 6 big ass ones with wasp spray so far.

[@kristopherfogelberg193]

The biggest one of these I saw was the size of my hand with a cicada in its grasp i saw it burrow and drag it in that was in Corpus Christ Texas

[@imafkingbeastandrewtateise9563]

BULLSHIT.

[@trenaebowers1968]

Wasps and bees and insects of the like aren't my cup of tea We have a nest of carpenter bees in my backyard They are quite huge and scary I don't have the guts to get close to them and try to swat at them We squish them when they're on the ground because the last thing on my bucket list is one of them flying at me

[@dustinmj29]

We have a bunch in Maryland. They don't sting. They don't even have a stinger I'm pretty sure. If anything they will try to ram you if you make them mad. But for real I've had them fly right in my face, check me out then fly off. They won't even attack my dog who tries to eat them. But yeah they will definitely tear up a deck or exposed wood on a house. There is a spray foam that if you spray it into the holes they create it closes off the hole and then kills anything in the hole. Sorry I don't remember what the stuff is but it works. Oh and they keep honey bees and wasps away because they will chase off everything else but yeah the whole burrowing into your wood stuff is not cool and can destroy it. So it sucks either way.

[@jaelynfourman8773]

The buzzing sound in the vid freaked me tf out

[@AnimalFactFiles]

Sorry about that. =(

[@jaelynfourman8773]

Animal Fact Files lol its okay i just got scared 😂

[@tinycrisps]

oh nice i’ve seen one of those before carrying a cicada

[@AnimalFactFiles]

That's awesome! You're lucky!!

[@mohjozojo6242]

A couple stung my dog last week my dog hasn’t been the same since won’t even go to the area where she was stung and won’t leave my side if I take there

[@aaxxcdd]

What do they do for the years cicadas don't show up?

[@candysweeetz]

When I moved in my house as a kid I was messing around on my fence and one of these guys flew at me super fast so I started running away but right as I turned my head it darted past me three inches from my face scared the crap outta me

[@BlimeyT.]

Thanku , I was wondering what that was digging in my front lawn.

[@davidripley2916]

If Cicadas only emerge every 8 years or so ( I may have the time wrong) then what do the female wasps do to fill in the shortfall? Do they predate other species as well?

[@NecoJesus]

Yeah, probably on things like lubbers and lizards. Gotta eat something.

[@jacobburnett7205]

I never knew they can induce seizures though. That's crazy!