Cicada Killer Wasp

The western cicada killer is named for its practice of stinging cicadas (an insect in the aphid family) and bringing them back to their eggs for food. When the larvae hatch out of the eggs, they feed on the cicada as they develop. Western cicada killers are sometimes over an inch long, making them the largest wasp in California. They are solitary insects, but can be a nuisance if there are enough of them, and will sting if provoked. Overall, their place in the food chain makes them valuable, so they shouldn’t be killed unless it is necessary.