Cicada-Killing Giant Wasp

[ronny]

I’ve lived most of my long life in Oklahoma and usually in areas where there are many cicadas. My current home is in the midst of many large old growth trees which normally carry a full complement of cicada.
This year I have so far seen exactly 5, of which 4 were dead. I have heard exactly zero. This is really peculiar. And, yes, I have a resident wasp.
Go figure!

 

[clintbailey]

Seems there are way more of these wasps in my area than usual this year, but I have seen them before

 

[ConstitutionCowboy]

They aren't bad. Those flying around your head and looking you in the eye are trying to figure out if you are the right species to have sex with. When they figure out you're not their cup of tea, they move on.

They are not that easy to intimidate, either. They are generally quite docile.

I was able to see a female carrying a cicada and followed it to its hole. The females are larger than the males and appear to be up to the task of moving those much larger cicadas round.

Woody

 

[ramco]

Grew up with them...and in terror.
Grandmother thought they were hornets.
But they're not really aggressive to anything but cicadas.

We always called them hornets

 

[Lightsluvr]

I’ve lived most of my long life in Oklahoma and usually in areas where there are many cicadas. My current home is in the midst of many large old growth trees which normally carry a full complement of cicada.
This year I have so far seen exactly 5, of which 4 were dead. I have heard exactly zero. This is really peculiar. And, yes, I have a resident wasp.
Go figure!

Lots of Mississippi Kites this year... may have some impact on the cicada crowd.

 

[ronny]

Lots of Mississippi Kites this year... may have some impact on the cicada crowd.

Yes, there are. I’m sure they take a toll. But we have them here every year. Last year the trees were full of cicadas (locusts) and the sky full of kites.

 

[OK Corgi Rancher]

Those kites are cool birds. I saw a bunch of them around my house in Olustee. Don't see nearly as many over in this neck of the woods.

 

[ronny]

They're thick around Ardmore during nesting season. They're probably pretty much fledged out by now. The young will spend a few weeks getting their flight muscles in shape for the long haul, and then one day, poof,,. they're gone.

Kites are very good hunters of small birds. If you spend a little time just watching them, it's pretty cool.