My lawn is full of cicada bee killers How can I get rid of them?

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This is what we do. First, let me answer your Q. Second, I will provide a little additional information on cicada killer wasps.

1. First of all, these insects typically burrow in the ground. They are big suckers.

Their size (2 inches? ) makes them appear scary. Since they burrow in the ground, you can spot their nests by finding small piles of dirt adjacent to a hole in the ground.

As with cutter bees and other insects, they return to their nests at night. Wait until dusk. Then take an anti-wasp insecticide and liberally spray into the hole.

Do this for every nest on your property. Be careful in that some sprays are designed for spraying wasp nests at great distances. Therefore, these sprays will work at great pressure.

Since you are using this close to the nest's opening, you do not want the insecticide to splash back onto you! This should control your problem. But, it won't keep your neighbor's cicada killers from foraging on your property.

Over the course of a couple years, you can use lime and fertilizer to promote a thick growth of turf which can make these wasps look for other nesting grounds (see U of Kentucky article). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Cicada killer wasps are really scary looking.

But, for the most part, our fear of cicada killers is unwarranted. Let me share some scientific information with you. They are solitary, as opposed to social, insects Females have a stinger which is used almost exclusively to cripple prey.

It isn't used for defensive purposes. They are difficult to provoke. If you try to smash one with your bare hand, don't be surprised, though, if it tries to sting you.

Males do not have a stinger. Males are aggressive and will defensively dive bomb you as you approach their nest during the day when they are out and about. But, they cannot sting you.

Granted, these suckers get big enough to look like flying cigars... :) I'll confess, my ability to determine the sex of a dive bombing cicada killer is not good enough to give me the confidence to take them on during the day. Hence, the recommendation to control them when they are all back in their nests for the night. I am providing you will short, yet excellent articles on these wasps from the Departments of Entomology at Ohio State University and the University of Kentucky.

I highly recommend you read them. Sources: Google Images; http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2078A.html ; http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef004.asp .

Wasps How to Get Rid of Ground Digger Wasps (Cicada Killers) from Your Lawn While the method below basically kills the wasps in their nests, I’ve found no other (safe- for-nearby-pets) way to eradicate them from my own lawn than this method. I still get nests from year-to-year, but only one, maybe two now. The trick is to kill all of them while they’re in their nests so their babies will not come back to the same place they were born.

1. Get the supplies. To eradicate an infestation of Ground-digger wasps (GDWs), purchase from your local party store and supermarket, the following items: a) a large bag of WHITE plastic knives, and b) up to three or four jug gallons of regular or lemon ammonia.

2. During the day, when the wasps are up hunting for cicadas in the trees, mark each nest you find with one of the plastic knives pushed into the ground as close to the hole of the nest as possible (without disturbing the hole). Leave enough of the knife sticking out of the ground so you can see it.

3. After 10:30 or 11pm, (later is better), that evening, using a flashlight, seek out the knives you placed and carefully pour about two-to-three cups of ammonia into each of the holes. At this time the wasps are probably nesting/sleeping, so you’ll be catching them while in the nest.

(You can stretch out the amount of ammonia by mixing a one-to-one ratio of water to ammonia. The diluted strength will still be enough to kill them. ) Do NOT remove the knives.

4. The next day, repeat the process on any NEW nests that you find in the ground. You’ll know the new nests from the old ones because you’ll still have the knives in place from the night before.

Once you’ve identified the new nests, remove the old knives. Tips * If you have pets, it is VERY important that you do not allow your pet to dig anywhere near a nest. You must also NOT use a diazinon or any other POWDERED toxic treatment on the GDW holes.

Dogs and cats will not know that the powder is lethal to them. * You’ll probably continue to have nests each year. However, if you repeat the same process above each year, your chances of having more nests the following years will reduce greatly.

* Share the instructions with your neighbors as chances are, they will also have GDWs and not know what they are or how to get rid of them. If they don’t do anything, you’ll have an infestation on the block before you know it. * The more cicadas there are, the more GDWs you’ll have.

So, if you have 7-year cicada infestation cycles, the chances are you’ll have a LOT of GDW nests to deal with every seven years, UNLESS you (and your neighbors) follow the method above to eradicate them. * If you see a GDW with a cicada under its belly, quickly get out the ammonia and pour it down the hole as soon as the GDW goes into the nest. (Birds will actually attack in mid-air a GDW carrying a cicada under its belly.

) Warnings * Do NOT agitate or aggravate a GDW. They will attack and sting you if their NESTS are threatened in any way. As such, it’s important that you follow the above steps when you don’t see any GDWs flying around---wait until they’re either be up in the trees (during the day) or in the nest (if at night).

* Do NOT try to step on them; they’re VERY fast when they’re young adults/adults. As they get older, they tend to slow down, but can still sting if threatened. * Use a low-powered flash light when treating the nests at night.

Even at night GDWs will fly towards a very bright light. Sources: http://www.wikihow.com/Get-Rid-of-Ground-Digger-Wasps-%28Cicada-Killers%29-from-Your-Lawn .

Well... ok if you must...... I think since they are ground dwelling you could simply fill in their holes if you feel brave. Or you could use a standard wasp/yellowjacket spray poison from a distance. I think this would work.

But they are an awesome creature and they only want to hunt cicadas! .

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I have insects that are called "Cicada Killers" that have burried themselves in my lawn. How do I get rid of them?

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