Services: Cicada Killer Wasps

Biology: Cicada killers are solitary wasps, do not live in colonies or nests, and are females and males. Many individuals may fly over the lawn. The same general area for nesting purposes, but they do not share nests. Each female digs her own burrow which is ½” in diameter and may extend to 10” deep. She then locates a cicada, stings it, and brings the paralyzed cicada back to the burrow. One or 2 cicadas many be placed in each burrow and an egg is deposited on one. The wasp larva feeds on the paralyzed cicada. Full –grown larvae overwinter in there burrow, pupate in the spring, and emerge as adults during the summer, usually in July and August. Females will construct and provision many burrows.

Swat Pest Control will spray in as many holes as can find during treatment and on any flying cicadas. Sometimes we will spot treat a nearby tree or shrub if we watch them land on it. Not all cicadas flying over the lawn live there. Also some holes may open after the treatment. We get 90% or more with one application.