Scoliid Wasps

[Zee09]

Apparently they rarely sting and are not aggressive. The female appears to be the only one who stings .
I got stung by three the other day while mowing. Pretty rare they say but they were fired up along a woods. Actually they don't hurt very bad. Actually purple in color.

 

[SuperSalad]

Oh yeah. I got too close to a nest/hive last summer and they let me know. Walked away with maybe 3 or 4 stings.

 

[buster]

Cicada Killers are pretty big. They're also not too aggressive towards humans.

 

[goingplacesanddoingstuff]

Interesting, apparently this entire genus parasitizes/preys on beetle larvae. Never heard of them.

 

[SHOZ]

It's like carpenter bees. Only the female stings. The bumbling males hang around to be the visual deterrent.

 

[Zee09]

Interesting, apparently this entire genus parasitizes/preys on beetle larvae. Never heard of them.

What state are you located in ?.. Buddy of mine in TN said the same thing.

 

[SHOZ]

I was just sitting outside and noticed a big moth flopping around. Thought it was in a spider web but it turned out a small wasp was 'stinging' it repeatedly. Laying eggs?

 

[wlk]

Sure you didn't get stung by baldface hornets? Look similar

 

[cptbarkey]

Its been especially moist in Central Texas this year due to el nino. I've had to kill upwards of a hundred yellow jackets in May and June and a little in early July. I actually ran out of Raid and used some brake cleaner one evening but I need distance to run.

Mud dobbers are the good guys here and i'm content with them.

 

[Zee09]

Sure you didn't get stung by baldface hornets? Look similar

Nope...I know those buggers.
Actually around here I respect hornets and don't bother them unless they attach to the house.
The cranky wasp will get in your hair and sting you a hundred yards away when in the mood.

Yes you are right they look a good bit alike but the Wasp are actually beautiful in flight and hover close to the ground.
When flying the difference is easily seen

 

[MrGraybeard]

Sure you didn't get stung by baldface hornets? Look similar

Yeah, from what I read these are solitary wasps. Generally the solitary species don't sting people because they have no nest to defend.

 

[SuperSalad]

Sure you didn't get stung by baldface hornets? Look similar

That is actually what I got stung by because yeah, there was definitely a nest and scoliids apparently don't nest at all, but burrow individually.

 

[Zee09]

Yeah, from what I read these are solitary wasps. Generally the solitary species don't sting people because they have no nest to defend.

When you are mowing close to them and the ground like ZT does they will sting. I've lived here for 60 years and l know the difference. They also follow mowers..
Plus when in flight they are easily identified.
Last year on here I had to take out a hornets nest...plus the two fly nothing alike.

 

[Zee09]

A good bit different

 

[wag123]

The species appears to be Scolia Bicincta Fabricius

Scolia bicincta - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[KCJeep]

The female appears to be the only one who stings . I got stung by three the other day while mowing.

This seems ironically appropriate given your special way with women.

 

[Zee09]

This seems ironically appropriate given your special way with women.

That did come to mind...

 

[goingplacesanddoingstuff]

That is actually what I got stung by because yeah, there was definitely a nest and scoliids apparently don't nest at all, but burrow individually.

Bald faced hornets can pack a wollop, so I hear. I’ve only been stung by yellowjackets, but never a bald faced hornet. I hear they’re even worse. Oof.

 

[4WD]

Its been especially moist in Central Texas this year due to el nino. I've had to kill upwards of a hundred yellow jackets in May and June and a little in early July. I actually ran out of Raid and used some brake cleaner one evening but I need distance to run.

Mud dobbers are the good guys here and i'm content with them.

I’m more south/central (between Houston & Victoria) and yellow jackets have been everywhere this year - I don’t use quickly depleted wasp spray anymore - get 100% kill from:

RAID® YARD GUARD MOSQUITO FOGGER

Use this product to kill flies, mosquitoes and other listed bugs for up to 6 hours.

www.raid.com

 

[walterjay]

Wow. I was a bee keeper so I am pretty familiar with both bees and wasps. Never seen one of these here though.
I like bees and I hate wasps.