Carrollton Pest Control Service advice for Cicada Killer Wasp control

Carrollton Pest Control Service owner Blake Williams of Service 1st Pest and Lawn offers advice on “Do It Yourself Cicada Killer Wasp” control.

Home owner’s often become alarmed this time of year with the emergence of the Cicada Killer Wasp.  Their appearance is ominous, but they rarely sting.  The females can sting but rarely sting people unless it is an accident.  The males are more aggressive in protecting the nest but do not have stingers.  They will fly towards people trying to scare them away from the nest but usually shy away at the last minute.  If left untreated they can become numerous in one area even though they are a solitary wasp not a social wasp.  I have seen dozens nesting in one flower bed at times.  When this happens it can be scary for the home owner and their guests.

Identification

The adult cicada killer is a very large (1-1/8 to 1-5/8 inches long), robust wasp with a black body marked with yellow across the thorax (middle part) and on the first three abdominal (rear part) segments. The head and thorax are rusty red and the wings russet yellow (brownish). Legs are yellowish. Coloration may resemble yellowjacket wasps.

These wasps fly around searching for Cicadas (sometimes referred to as Locusts).  When the find a Cicada the female stings the Cicada and the venom paralyzes the Cicada and then they carry the Cicada to the nest and use it to feed the Larvae when the eggs hatch.

The Cicada Killers nest in the ground digging a hole about 1 inch in diameter and 6 to 8 inches deep.  Typically you will see a pile of excavated dirt next to the hole.  The prefer Sandy type soils and are more common in areas with sandy soil such as Flower Mound, Southlake, Keller and some areas of Dallas and Carrollton.  They prefer bare areas and flower beds for their nests, sometimes located at the edge of a patio or deck.

Control Measures

Occasionally, homeowners become flustered in attempting to eliminate nuisance, massive populations from lawns. Cicada Killer Wasps normally arrive the last week in July and are gone by the second week of August. Wasps may become unbearable causing homeowners not to use their backyard during the day due to these wasps flying (skimming) around the lawn, shrubs and trees searching for cicadas.

One woman mentioned that she and her husband had killed over 50 wasps with tennis rackets, used five pounds of carbaryl (Sevin) dust in the nest entrances, and employed a pest control operator several times with little noticeable decrease in outdoor populations. They mow their grass in the evening (after 8:00 PM), and keep their children indoors much of the time until the Cicada Killer Wasp season is over.

Usually it is not necessary to control cicada killer wasps unless their presence is a nuisance. Sometimes these wasps can be troublesome in high traffic home and commercial areas such as berms around swimming pools, near planters at door entrances, flower beds, golf course greens and tees, and other unwanted areas. Sometimes they may fly erratically near people, causing fear. Males may actually defend their territory by dive bombing people’s heads and shoulders!

Typical wasp and hornet sprays are difficult to use because the Cicada Killer can dodge the spray.  With persistence they can be successful but when provoked the female may be more aggressive.  Another method of control is to put pesticide dusts such as Sevin Dust or Delta dust at the nest entrance.  This should be applied at night when the Wasps are less active and not likely to be flying around.  It is recommended that large infestations be treated by a licensed pest control operator experienced in controlling Cicada Killer Wasps.

Carrollton Pest Control Service owner Blake Williams says if you need help controlling Cicada Killer Wasps.  Call us at Service 1st Pest and Lawn for help with your termite control, lawn care or pest control needs, 940-594-8154.

2 Comments

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  By Pest control Austin, November 10, 2009 @ 4:49 am

  I have been reading your blog last couple of weeks and enjoy every bit. Thanks.

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