Cicada Wasps Do Not Harm Turfgrass

Cicada killer wasps usually make their nests in areas with sparse vegetation, so thick turfgrass is not in danger of being ruined. Photo Credits: benjiwireless.com

This creature upsets folks (besides its rather large size, about 11⁄2 inches long), because it is a very industrious laborer, burrowing and digging galleries in lawns, flowerbeds and gardens. When several adult wasps set up housekeeping in an area, they can make quite a mess.

The female wasp is the one responsible for digging the burrows, which are 1⁄2-inch wide and up to 6 to 10 inches long, with nine or 10 side chambers where cicadas are brought to feed their young. This means quite a bit of soil can be heaped up to form a horseshoe-shaped mound around each burrow. It sort of looks like a miniature gopher has been at work. Nests are usually made in areas with sparse vegetation in bright sun, so thick turfgrass is rarely chosen for a nesting site.

Source: Dr. William Johnson, The Galveston County Daily News