Cicada Killer Wasp

About the Cicada Killer Wasp

Among the largest wasps in North America. They paralyze cicadas with a precise sting, fly them to underground burrows, and seal them with a single egg. They can carry cicadas that weigh twice their own body weight. Despite their intimidating size, males cannot sting at all and females rarely sting humans. They dig elaborate multi-chambered burrows up to 70 cm deep. Each female provisions 1-3 cicadas per chamber. They are solitary wasps, not aggressive like social species.