The Cicada killer, also known as the Sphecius speciosus, is a giant wasp looking insect that kills cicadas. Cicadas damage a great deal of crops, shrubs, trees and will lay their eggs deep within branches leaving scarring and other marks on the vegetation it attacks. One of the more annoying aspects of a cicada is their ability to make very loud noises; some people refer to the cicada noise as a love song. This is because the males use it to attract the females for mating. Some cicadas register over one hundred decibels when singing. So the cicada killer, although it looks intimidating, will assist in keeping cicadas quiet, and from destroying nearby vegetation.
The cicada killer is extremely large in size when it comes to insects. It typically measures from one and a half to two inches in length. People often mistake the cicada killer for what they think is an over sized wasp. The female cicada killer will dig a home for her eggs in lawns or any other well soiled area that has full exposure to the sun’s rays. The female cicada captures cicadas and keeps the neighborhood quieter by capturing the cicada, stuffing it down the holes she has burrowed, and lays her eggs on top of the cicada. When the larvae hatch, the cicada is its food source.
Female cicadas may look intimidating, but they have rarely been known to sting humans. They have a docile temperament and mainly focus on their task at hand, which is laying their eggs and feeding their young. The male cicada killer however is known to be extremely territorial and will attack; fortunately the male cicada can do you no harm at all because they do not possess a stinger, like their female counter parts. The male cicada’s bark is much worse than its bite.
Cicada killers are not normally a pest, but if they are able to construct a large enough nest, they can become a nuisance. Although they are in general, harmless, their appearance and presence can be frightening, especially to children. If there is a cicada nest on your property or close to your home that has become a nuisance, a small amount of insecticide dust should do the trick. Contact a professional to assist you in getting rid of the cicada killers if they have become a nuisance. A-Tex Pest control will handle any type of insect nuisance you are dealing with and provide you with the best pest control service available.
