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Cicada Killer Wasp in Nashua, NH

Sightings Category: Cicada Killers

Cicada Killer Wasp in Nashua, NH

Back around 8-12-2011, while hummingbird watching in my backyard, I thought I saw a small hummingbird land in the grass. When I went to see what it was, it turned out to be this rather large wasp I'd never seen before...since Aug, I've seen it almost daily, coming n going from it "den"...which has now turned into 2 dens...

Please let me know if you'd like more pics etc...got some from nightime, when "she" was excavating her new (2nd)den just the other day (9-5-2011)

Sphecius speciosus in Nashua, NH
Sphecius speciosus in Nashua, NH
Sphecius speciosus in Nashua, NH

Date Posted: 2011-09-05 Comments: (1) Show Comments Hide Comments

Comments

Posted By: Jimmy Wu | On: 2011-09-10 | Website:

I guess I will jump the gun before Gerry and tell you that it is a cicada killer wasp. They hunt cicadas usually of the Tibicen genus and drag them into a "den" the female made, then she will lay an egg on the paralyzed cicada and the larvae will feed on the cicada.

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