Comments on Flatbush Gardener: Sphecius speciosus, Eastern Cicada Killer

These things took over our yard when we first move...

2009-09-28T17:30:53.079-04:00

These things took over our yard when we first moved here. It was a complete infestation. It was like a carpet of ginormous bees out back instead of a grassy lawn. There were so many they flew into our basement through the semi open windows and banged against our wooden basement door. I had a newborn and looked them up on the internet and learned they would go away after a few weeks. They tore up our yard, it was as if we had moles. The next spring we dug up the dirt, put down new dirt and re-seeded. My husband is diligent with the sprinkler and he tries really hard to keep a thick turf (to deter them). Seems like as long as the grass is happy and the soil is not dry, they don't burrow, even though I can see the holes where they emerge from the few nests we didn't manage to prevent from the year before. They definitely dive bomb you and let me tell you, toddlers do not like it. My husband has beaten them off with a tennis racket (they tend not to return after this). This summer was manageable, a few here and there, like accessories, but not the only story going on in our backyard.

By "extent" do you mean their native range? I don'...

2009-08-30T15:27:57.292-04:00

By "extent" do you mean their native range? I don't know off-hand. I would check the Links provided at the end of the post.

Do you know the extent of these wasps? They are re...

2009-08-30T12:02:10.026-04:00

Do you know the extent of these wasps? They are really impressive.

I saw a wasp like this and totally freaked out too...

2009-08-23T14:12:00.335-04:00

I saw a wasp like this and totally freaked out too. It wasn't in my garden or I probably would've gone all Rambo on it with the hose too.

It was beautiful and scary too. I think the most frighting part was the territorial behavior and the way they just seem to linger out in the open instead of flying off like other bees and wasps.

Nice post.

I'm so glad I ran across your post! Our dog found ...

2009-08-23T12:37:57.970-04:00

I'm so glad I ran across your post! Our dog found one last week and was trying to eat it (he's only 1). I put the dog inside and tried to get the bog out of my yard so the dog wouldn't mess with it. I got it over the fence, but the cicada killer kept climbing into the yard. Finally, I just let the dog be. He forgot about the bug and everyone was happy. I was a bit freaked out about the wasp-on-steroids.

Thanks, Carol! The males are territorial, but they...

2009-08-18T20:15:14.113-04:00

Thanks, Carol! The males are territorial, but they don't sting. Only the females sting, and burrow. And yeah, I don't want to be stung by one!

I wonder what it is about driveways? I know they want sandy soil for digging. Maybe that's where they're most likely to find it in our yards.

We have them here, too, and they are fascinating. ...

2009-08-18T20:00:52.837-04:00

We have them here, too, and they are fascinating. I have some male cicada killers guarding the area next to the driveway this summer, making going out to get the mail or newspaper quite an adventure. I can see where they've dug their holes.

And my sister was stung by one once. It got up under her skirt and got confused. She said it hurt, yes indeed.

Great info!