Yellow Jacket and it’s Prey!

I took the above photo a few weeks ago. I was about to enter my vehicle when I spotted the large insect on the ground directly in front of my van door. The large insect is an Annual Cicada (Cicadidae). The cicada has a wasp attached to it. “That’s a mighty small Cicada Killer,” I thought out loud. Of course, I knew the wasp wasn’t a cicada killer (Sphecius speciosus), they’re nearly the same size as a cicada (about 2-2.5Read more

Cicada Killer at Large

I heard an Annual Cicada calling from somewhere in the trees around my house about two weeks ago. I saw one this past Sunday (6/24). I’ve yet to hear or see one at the Museum. On Tuesday June 26, I saw the first of the season Cicada Killer in front of the Butterfly House here at the Museum. If you’re thinking that this cicada killer is a bit early since the object of the wasp’s attention, cicadas, are not evenRead more