A large, colorful wasp, about 1 1/2 to 2 inches or 37 to 50 mm long. The antennae are black. The eyes are red. The thorax is black with the middle segment red. The abdomen is black with 3 showy ivory, discontinuous cross-bands. The legs are orange and the wings tawny colored.
Very common in mid-summer. It can be seen nectaring on flowers such as Queen Anne’s Lace. They can also be seen pursuing their prey, “annual” Cicadas, around Neale Woods Nature Reserve and the cement walkways and the parking lot at Fontenelle Forest Nature Center.
This wasp species is in the subfamily Bembicinae. The nest, which is excavated in soil, can be a burrow 4 feet long and have an average of 16 cells. Each cell is provisioned with 1 to 4 paralyzed cicadas. One egg is laid on the last cicada placed in the cell. This wasp has adapted its life cycle to be in synchrony with that of its host, the “annual” Cicadas. Males can be territorial and defensive when seeking mates, but only the females can sting.
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