Cicada Wasps are insects, and is a generic term which collectively encloses the genus of wasps consuming cicadas. This communally tallies the alternative terms Cicada Killer Wasp, Sand Hornet and the Giant Cicada Killer.

Cicada wasps’ physical attributes cover the dimension of 2 to 3 inches stretch size thus references its alternative name as giant killer wasps. Adult cicada wasps are usually of black body shades and with yellow overlaid stripes across the thorax. These yellow lines usually fill the mid portion and a few distance on the abdomen towards the rear part. A rusty-red shading covers the upper portion of the thorax and the limbic parts of the wings. The legs and the hind legs are all the more shaded with yellow as well as its wingtips. These physical properties cause people to be mistakenly confused with yellow jacket wasps and regular hornets as cicada wasps.

Contrary to its formidable appearance male cicada wasps are harmless since they have no sting, although they display much aggressiveness in territorial defense especially during the periods of egg-laying for female cicada wasps. On the other hand, female wasps have the physical stinging properties in spite the fact that they are solitary in nature and are not easily incited.

These insects are systematized enough to prepare for pre-reproduction requisites. The female wasp starts to look for a sandy over-soil and yet moistened ground-sheath for her to dig up burrows. The digging should be a tunnel-like structure then to a point it reaches its desired depth, the female wasp will again dig horizontally across the endpoint and places one to two cicadas at the end cavity and lays the egg together with it. This commonly measures 10 inches in depth and has an approximate diameter of a half-an-inch to an inch.

In the creation of burrows the female cicada wasp utilizes her mouth in the extrication of the soil and dirt then pushes those away through her legs. The digging procedure is repeatedly performed until she reaches 10 to 20 separate cavities which are connected to the main tunnel. An egg is laid on each of the spaces and is paired with cicadas in which eggs feed from. Prior to this, female cicada wasps secure the food for her eggs by preying over cicadas. Cicadas are stung by female wasps and are taken into each of the burrow divisions and serves as food for the eggs before it completes it larval stage.

The process of reproduction for these giant wasps usually begins with the primal stage of egg-laying. Eggs are typically laid in mid-July to the first days of August. Female cicadas are guardedly protected by their male partners during this period. Male cicada wasps sentry the nests while female cicada wasps await the hatching in about three to four days. This then begins the larval stage which counts for another four to 10 days. During this phase the larvae is expected to complete maturation process and should fully be developed into an adult cicada wasp. From the primal point of its adult stage, a cicada wasp completes a life cycle of 2 to 2 1/2 months.

Common to insects, adult cicada wasps also feed on flower saps and nectars which then make these as pests to cultured flower farms. Also, they opt to choose lawns for burrows and habitation and thus make them pests to humans.