Cicada Killer Wasp

Well-drained, sandy or loose soil in open areas, lawns, and gardens near trees where cicadas are present.

Adults feed on flower nectar and tree sap; larvae are fed paralyzed cicadas provided by the female.

Solitary wasps; females dig underground burrows in sandy soil and hunt cicadas, paralyzing them with venom to provision their nests. Males are aggressive and territorial toward intruders near nesting sites but lack stingers.

Benefits include natural population control of cicadas. Risks are low; females can sting if handled or stepped on, but they are generally docile and not aggressive toward humans.