Video of Cicada Killer Wasp damaging golf green

August 6, 2021

On July 13, 2017, Dr. Donald Lewis of the Entomology Department put up a blog about Cicada Killer Wasps https://www.extension.iastate.edu/turfgrass/search/content/cicada%20kill... He also has an extension bulletin on this insect at https://hortnews.extension.iastate.edu/cicada-killer-wasp. 

This large wasp can sometimes be seen digging in golf greens looking for cicada larvae to sting and complete their life cycle.  They can do considerable damage.  Luckily, this is rare.

On August 2, 2021, Tom Meir, golf course superintendent at the Orchards golf course in Bellville, Ill. sent me this video of a Cicada Killer Wasp damaging one of his greens.  It shows the kind of damage that they can do to greens and other turf surfaces.

 

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