Gaint Ground Wasp
August 16, 2020 | rhburr
- A fews day ago, I posted a picture on my personal Facebook page of my first ever sighting of a very large wasp. I called it a murder wasp. It was approximately 2” in length and I got a few responses with some calling it a different name and a few responses that was very concerned that these wasp have invaded Central Florida. So I did some research and decided to put my finding in this blog.The North American cicada-killer wasps all belong to the genus Sphecius, of which there are 21 species worldwide. According to the UF/IFAS their are two species of these ‘wasps’ in Florida. Their scientific names are ‘Sphecius hogardii (Latreille)’ and ‘Sphecius speciosus (Drury) and the common name for both are “cicada killer. giant ground hornet”.
Figure 1. Sphecius hogardii (Latreille)
Lets start with the Sphecius hogardii (Latreille). This Caribbean species known from the Florida Keys (Key West) and here newly recorded from Lover's Key, Lee County, Florida, 16 July 1999. It appears to be uncommon in Florida and nothing is known of its host preferences. The rust orange coloration is distinctive. However, the black on the abdomen is variable. The Bahama populations lack the black coloration.
Sphecius speciosus (Drury) - This wasp is widely distributed east of the Rocky Mountains and south into Mexico. Sometimes common locally in Florida especially during the summer months where many wasps may nest together gregariously. Human encounters with this giant wasp are only seemingly dangerous since usually it is the stingless male which is the aggressor. The four foot burrows may have more than 16 cells which contain one to two cicadas each of many species of Tibicen. The wasps are parasitized by sarcophagid flies.
Figure 2. Sphecius speciosus (Drury)
A female digging a burrow next to a driveway
Female Cicada killer wasps are not aggressive and rarely sting unless handled roughly, disturbed, or caught in clothing, etc. Males aggressively defend their perching areas on nesting sites against rival males but they have no sting. Although they appear to attack anything which moves near their territories, male cicada killers are actually investigating anything which might be a female cicada killer ready to mate. Such close inspection appears to many people to be an attack, but the wasps rarely sting, bite, or even land on people. If handled roughly females will sting, males will jab with a sharp spine on the tip of their abdomen, and both sexes are well equipped to bite with their large jaws, however they are non-aggressive towards humans and fly away when swatted at, instead of attacking.
MANAGEMENT Cicada killers are usually considered beneficial insects since they destroy plant feeding cicadas. Also, they rarely sting except when the females are handled. However, under certain circumstances such as when elderly persons or young children are present in the breeding areas one may want to discourage their presence. This can be done by eliminating or reducing the breeding area which usually consists of exposed, sandy soil. This area can be mulched or covered with grass. Labeled insecticides can be applied to the nesting sites to kill the wasps.
This is what a Cidada looks like.
PestProUSA Termite Inspections & Solutions: Protecting your Real Estate Investments.