Bug guys?.

[IndispensableDestiny]

Watching them fly in with a cicada is cool. They crash land near the hole and then drag them in. That said, they make big mounds in the grass that seem to turn into brick after it rains. Probably just my soil. The hard mounds leave dead spots.

For fun I've whacked them out of the air with a squash racket. A badminton racket would be just as good.

 

[marko12]

I still say they are gentle giants, mowing the lawn and one (and her cicada friend) went right down my shirt. Scared the shit out of me but not a bite nor a sting.

Two ways to mess with them:

The first, notice how they hover around their hole getting their bearings, put a stick or rock near the hole and they will fly around forever looking for their right spot.

The second way is much more fun:

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&ke...vptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_2lwmaunnqp_b

I've posted this before and it really works.

 

[photoracer]

About the same size as the 2 species of Tarantula Hawk Wasp that inhabit the Western US. Although like the Cicada killer their sting is not really dangerous the Tarantula Hawk Wasp has a sting that is considered the second most painful in the entire insect world

 

[DaveP]

For fun I've whacked them out of the air with a squash racket. A badminton racket would be just as good.

Try one of the electric bug swatters.
They sizzle,skizzle, and make blue sparks!
Looks cool when it's almost dark!

(had a field day going after all the wood borers one evening!)

 

[Indiana Jones]

About the same size as the 2 species of Tarantula Hawk Wasp that inhabit the Western US. Although like the Cicada killer their sting is not really dangerous the Tarantula Hawk Wasp has a sting that is considered the second most painful in the entire insect world

No thanks. You can keep those.

 

[sxs]

They are cicada killer wasps. They look frightening but are not aggressive. I cut grass on several properties that resemble busy airports for swarms of these guys. I cut right through them and have never been attacked. They sound like a heavily loaded Huey chopper when they are carrying a large cicada back to the hole.

Just don't try that with an in-ground yellow jacket nest. I have been stung multiple times on a few occasions just like that. Once I had in excess of 40 stings from those little SO-Bees (pun intended!)

 

[CCPatriot]

bad ass!