Photo Album: Those Aren't Killer Wasps, Those Are Cicada Killer Wasps in Lawrence Township, NJ
Up Close with a Cicada Killer
I began inspecting the front yard and noticed several wasps gathering in the lawn. I took a closer look and identified them as cicada killer wasps.
Dangerous to Cicadas
Cicada killers are large wasps, about 2 inches in size, and get their name from killing cicadas. The adult female will go out and hunt for for a cicada, paralyze it with her stinger, carry the cicada back to her burrow, and lay her eggs under the left or right second leg of the cicada. The eggs then hatch and the larvae begin to eat the cicada while it is paralyzed. Although this sounds terrifying and they look intimidating, cicada killers are harmless to humans (unless you directly grab them).
Cicada Killer Burrows
Their burrows can be 8-16" long and they choose to nest in well-drained, light-textured soils in full sunlight that are near trees harboring cicadas. Each burrow is a separate colony of cicada killer wasps.
Treating Their Burrows
I injected each burrow with a knockdown dusting application, which will rapidly eliminate the cicada killers. In no time at all, the cicada killers will be exterminated and the homeowner can properly enjoy her lawn.