Eastern Cicada-killer Wasp
Just like cicadas (especially periodical cicadas ) are less than popular, so too are their eponymously named predators, the Cicada Killer Wasps . While cicadas can both physically inundate an area and also be aggravatingly loud, cicada killer wasps can be numerous stinging threats. Still, if you can avoid doing rude things like stepping on them, cicada killers (like most wasps) have other things they'd like to do in a day rather than sting you. Unless you're a cicada; if you're a cicada, they really do want to sting you, bring you back to their nest, and provide you as food to their offspring. (I'm assuming that very few cicadas read my blog.) Back in July while at an Outdoor Education table, I'd occasionally have people come by thinking that they need to alert us about invasive Murder Hornets on the property. I suspect they're actually a little disappointed when I tell them that Murder Hornets are only (and rarely) found in the far northwest part of the count...