Apply at the recommended rate and follow label directions.

Chemical control - Dust entrance holes with a registered insecticidal dust labeled for controlling ground-nesting bees and wasps.In the long term, it is better to correct the reason why the wasps are attracted to your landscape. They look like a giant hornet or huge yellow-jacket and are. Use an insecticide only as a last resort. Cicada killers are large, ominous looking wasps that evoke a good deal of fear among people.Or use landscape fabric and mulch to cover exposed soil to reduce or prevent digging. In ornamental beds - Cover bare soil with 2-3 inches of mulch or plant a thick groundcover.To temporarily discourage activity run a sprinkler over the nesting area. The Cicada is used as food to rear the next generation of wasps. Females fly around trees, shrubs, meadows and open areas in search of their only prey speciesCicada species (see fact sheet FS220). In lawns - Thicken up bare and thin spots in your lawn by overseeding in the fall. Cicada Killer Wasps feed on tree sap and flower nectar as individual adults.This can be considered a nuisance because of the holes they create in lawns.ĭamage to lawn. Photo: K. In some cases, many nests develop close together. They are solitary wasps that build nests in bare soil, preferring sunny sites with well-drained soil.

Males are territorial around nests but they cannot sting.

It becomes food for the developing larva.

Despite their appearance, these insects are not aggressive and usually will not bother people. The female's sting is meant for paralyzing prey (cicadas). She brings the paralyzed cicada back to the nest and lays an egg on it.

They are beneficial wasps because they help reduce cicada populations.

They are mostly black with pale-yellow markings on the abdomen and are about 2 inches long.

Cicada killers resemble large yellowjackets.