Scoliid Wasps

[JHZR2]

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

They always freak me out. Giant. Funny to see them crash out of trees with a cicada.

 

[buster]

They always freak me out. Giant. Funny to see them crash out of trees with a cicada.

Same here lol they are scary looking.

 

[MrGraybeard]

They always freak me out. Giant. Funny to see them crash out of trees with a cicada.

I've been seeing a lot of solitary wasps this summer. I have a patio with pavers where they burrow holes for their parisitzed prey in the joints between the blocks. They leave a little pile of stone dust on the surface where they have dug. Kind of annoying.

Cicada killers seem to prefer the soil, probably because they need to dig a bigger hole.

 

[MrGraybeard]

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.

Some types of yellowjackets nest in the ground -- they're always fun to run over when you're mowing the lawn. After escaping to a safe distance you can usually see four or five of them buzzing around the entrance, looking for something to attack.
I make note of the entrance site and come back after dark with a bellows duster loaded with Sevin dust. Give them the treatment and the nest is usually toast in a day or two.