Identify a Pest/Hornet?
Can anyone help us identify a hornet that has decided to make our front walkway its little hang out. It literally just sits there looking around ALL day long. Nobody has been stung yet, and frankly I can’t figure out if it is a hornet or something else. It appears to be maybe a bit…
Can anyone help us identify a hornet that has decided to make our front walkway its little hang out. It literally just sits there looking around ALL day long.
Nobody has been stung yet, and frankly I can’t figure out if it is a hornet or something else.
It appears to be maybe a bit over or under an inch (can’t get close enough for a precise measure).
I am starting to refer to it as our “guard hornet”.
Any clue as to what it is and whether we should try to get rid of it, or let it be?
It is definitely a Cicada Killer. Or at least it is the colloquial name. If you google search you will see it come up. Neighbors independently figured this out too.
It has now been hanging around in the exact same spot for a week. The construction crew at my place now have gotten use to it as I have, and it does not appear to be interested in causing any problems. In fact my foreman goes out of his way to ensure he doesn’t accidentally step on it (though it always seems quick enough about getting out of the way).
We think it is pretty clear it has a nest in the crack between two of my bluestone slabs in the front yard.
Interesting creature – never saw one before.
Poke a stick at it.
I asked an entomologist friend of mine – here’s her response.
Can she count the wings and see how many there are? One pair would make it a fly; 2 pairs would make it a wasp. I think it is some kind of a wasp, but it may be a fly imitating a wasp. We have these also. Does hers make a loud buzzing noise while it is hovering?
Call up Obama, he’ll squish it with a single slap.
you have too much time on your hands.
try to live with the pests….
Actually, it is closer to 2″ the more i look at it. And amazingly it hovers and kinda watches me.
Really bizzare.
First started up the summer with a carpenter bee (huge) my kids named Harry. Now we have this sucker.
They keep getting bigger with each new critter that shows up. Wonder what is next.
Ah, the wonders of the insect world of Carroll Gardens.
Totally serious. It scared the hell out of me this morning. THere were actually two hanging around yesterday and day before. Was really freaking out my foreman.
Are you fucking serious?
Ok, I think I identified the suspect as a “Cicada Killer”. Pretty scary in looks but apparently tough to instigate into stinging (though the females can).
See below link if anyone else is interested. Still trying to decide what I am going to do.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06217/711258-47.stm