Cicada Killer Wasps

Cicada Killer Wasp and its prey

 In mid-to-late summer golfers may begin to encounter large wasps with distinctive bands of white and yellow on black bodies around tees, greens and bunker faces. The head and thorax are a rusty red and the wings are tinged with yellow. The body is about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches long. The wing span approaches three inches. Their large size and habit of buzzing around a person intimidates many.

The female wasps are equipped with a stinger and if seriously provoked can produce a sting. The females are territorial and will investigate any thing or anyone coming near their nest burrow. If a person stands still, the female will usually go on about her business.

When cicada killers first emerge, the males are very territorial and will fight with each other while establishing territories. Once females begin to emerge the males will make every attempt to defend their territory against any invader, including people. The males do not have a stinger and are harmless. However, they can intimidate anyone who is afraid of bees and wasps.

Cicada killers are solitary wasps. This means that each female has her own burrow. The burrows are dug in well drained sites. They prefer sandy or bare soils, but will also construct burrows in areas where the grass is kept very short. They can be a real problem on golf courses since greens and tees are typically constructed on a sand-based substrate. They can also become and issue around bunkers and bunker faces.

Damage to a putting green

Cicada killers hunt annual cicadas in trees. When a cicada is spotted, the wasp zooms in and attempts to sting the cicada. The cicada will utter a buzzing shriek until it becomes paralyzed. Once the cicada becomes motionless, the wasp will carry the cicada to a high point and attempt to fly back to her burrow. While larger wasps may be successful on the first attempt, smaller wasps may need to repeat the process several times.

Inside the burrow, the wasp places the cicada in a side chamber and lays an egg on it. The egg hatches, and the wasp larva feeds on the body fluids of the paralyzed cicada. Development is completed within two weeks and the wasp larva forms a cocoon. The winter is spent in the larval stage and pupates the following spring. Adult emergence coincides with the emergence of annual cicadas.

So, the best way to minimize damage to putting greens NEXT year is to aggressively treat burrows THIS year. Your Maintenance Team is out early every morning and throughout the day, scouting and treating any affected areas. If you happen across a burrow during your round of golf, contact the Pro Shop immediately and they'll direct the Maintenance Team to the area to treat it.

To see a video of a Cicada Killer Wasp digging a burrow click HERE.