By Jack Spaulding

The first time I saw one was a few years ago in my garage. Apparently, one had wandered into the garage and was looking for a way to get out. It was on the edge of the window, and when I saw it… I actually gasped… the monstrous looking, over-sized stinging insects at first encounter are truly gasp-worthy! The beast made a hornet look tiny.

The body of the wasp/hornet looking critter looked to be 2 inches long, and I could see a stinger looking to be a full 1/8 of an inch long protruding from its boldly striped abdomen. Reacting from fear, I quickly dispatched the beast with a huge blast of hornet spray.

This past week a reader, Jack Metz, sent me the included photo saying the wasps were hanging around his flower bed and asked me if I could identify the wasp. No problem, as after my first encounter, I became well read on the critters.

Lee Townsend, Extension entomologist for the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture has studied the wasps and reported as follows:

“Mild mannered female cicada killer wasps are active across Kentucky (Midwest) during the summer, intent on their tasks of digging underground burrows and provisioning them with

paralyzed cicadas that will be food for their grub-like larvae. The wasps will be very focused on these tasks for several weeks.

“Why are cicada killers so abundant in some areas?

“These solitary wasps choose sites with specific characteristics: well-drained, light-textured soils in full sunlight that are near trees harboring cicadas. They may dig along sidewalk or patio edges, in flower beds, gardens or lawns. As much as 100 cubic inches of soil may be brought to the surface as tunnels are formed. This can be unsightly in highly managed turf and the accumulations may smother grass. Sometimes skunks may dig up areas that have been extensively tunneled by the wasps to feed on cicadas and wasp larvae.

“Large aggregations of cicada killers can build up over time. An estimated 40 percent of the developing larvae (a dozen or more per tunnel) may emerge as adults the following year so numbers can increase rapidly.

“Are cicada killers dangerous?

“Females have significant stingers which they plunge into cicadas to inject venom that paralyzes them. Without a doubt, their stings are painful. However, they are not aggressive and do not have nest-guarding instinct of honey bees and hornets. You can walk through areas where they are active without attracting attention.

“The buzzing noise that the wasps make and the warning colors on their wings and bodies intimidate and discourage predators that see them as a large meal. When attacked, females will use their stinger to protect themselves.

“Males lack stingers but are territorial. They will approach anything that enters “their area,” including walkers, people mowing or using weed-eaters, or riding tractors. They may hover and challenge trespassers but are harmless. That can be easy to forget when staring down a big wasp.

“Will cicada killers harm pets?

“Some dogs and cats may catch cicada killers but usually only once. Those that pick females probably will be stung, remember it, and associate the experience with the buzzing sound and warning colors. Some may have a severe reaction to the venom, especially if stung in the mouth. If that is suspected, the animal should be taken to a veterinarian immediately. Wasp flight begins in early morning and can continue until dusk. Wasps remain in their burrows at night so encounters can be avoided by managing the activity of the pet.”

The first time I saw a Cicada Killer in flight with a paralyzed cicada I was stunned at the load the wasp could carry. The combined profile of the wasp and prey looked to be larger than a hummingbird, and the two moved very slowly through the sky.

I continued to watch as the female Cicada Killer landed next to its burrow and began to excavate the soil to bury the paralyzed host for its offspring.

Nature is truly amazing!

Field trip grant benefits school children

Approximately 1,500 students from 21 Indiana schools will take field trips to Indiana State Park properties this academic year thanks in part to the Discover the Outdoors grant program administered through the Indiana Natural Resources Foundation (INRF), the supporting nonprofit of the DNR.

The program awards public, private, parochial or home-school educators grants ranging from $180-$250 to fund transportation costs, program fees and classroom supplies related to preparation or follow-up for the field trips. An estimated 1,454 students from K-12 will benefit from the $5,080 in grants the program expects to distribute.

Since the program’s inception in 2013, it has awarded a total of 174 grants to provide approximately 17,000 students the chance to visit one of 25 state parks, eight reservoirs, two state forest recreation areas, and two off-road state recreation areas at less cost to them and their schools. More than $46,000 in overall funding has been distributed to engage students in learning about Indiana’s fish, forests, wildlife, natural habitats and conservation.  To see more about the grant program, visit youtu.be/uC4QjhsBLO8.

The fund was established in memory of Tom Huck, a long-time DNR employee who was an ardent supporter of outdoor experiences for children in parks. Periodic financial assistance also comes from the Indiana Master Naturalist Advisory Council.

“We appreciate the generosity of those who contribute to Indiana’s youth,” said Jody Kress, executive director of INRF. “We hope to see this program grow so we can educate more students across the state about our natural and cultural legacy.”

Readers can contact the author by writing to this publication, or e-mail at jackspaulding@hughes.net. Spaulding’s books, “The Best Of Spaulding Outdoors” and “The Coon Hunter And The Kid,” are available from Amazon.com as a paperback or Kindle download.