Cicada killer full#

They overwinter in their cells, emerging the next July as adults. The egg hatches in 2-3 days, then the larva burrows into the cicada carcass and begins the slow process of devouring the immobilized, but still-living cicada from the inside out. After stuffing the cicada into a small nursery cell, the wasp lays an egg, then seals off the chamber. This is an amazing aeronautical feat.Įqually interesting is the reproductive behavior of the Cicada killer. The cicada killer wasp is amazing, not only for being able to detect and paralyze its prey, but also because of its ability to fly carrying a cicada that is proportionally equal to or heavier than the wasp itself. The cicada is not dead but merely immobilized - sometimes continuing its incessant buzzing even while being dragged to the hole. Sometimes secondary tunnels are built off the primary tunnel, allowing a female to rear up to 16 larvae in a burrow.Īfter digging the tunnel, the female wasp locates a cicada in a tree or bush and then inflicts a very precise, paralyzing sting before dragging it to the entrance of its burrow. The female cicada killer forms four to five cells off of the main tunnel which she uses for a nursery. The 1 1/2 inch diameter opening leads into an oblique tunnel that runs for 12-18 inches and reaches a depth of 6-10 inches.

Cicada killer full#

Normally, female cicada killers dig a burrow in well drained, light textured soil, in an area with full sunlight. Such aggregations may contain from a few to a hundred or so individual burrows, and may persist for several years in the same location. Cicada killer, Sphecius speciosus (Drury)Ĭicada killer wasps may nest in aggregations (several nests in the same area) but do not live together socially as do social bees and wasps.