Bees? - Ask Extension
Hello! I trying to figure out if these are safe or if I need to get rid of the nest?
Knowledgebase
Bees? #876702
Asked July 10, 2024, 3:12 PM EDT
Hello! I trying to figure out if these are safe or if I need to get rid of the nest?
Grand Traverse County Michigan
Expert Response
This is either a cicada killer wasp or Bembix, a sand wasp.
As the cicadas start singing, so come the cicada killer wasp (the insect and its nest in your picture). These are one of the biggest wasps in Michigan but are only interested in hunting cicadas. It's best to leave this nest undisturbed, as the wasps are unlikely to bother humans. They may buzz around anyone who walks by too closely.
If a sand wasp, there's still nothing to worry about. It is a solitary wasp that collects flies.
As the cicadas start singing, so come the cicada killer wasp (the insect and its nest in your picture). These are one of the biggest wasps in Michigan but are only interested in hunting cicadas. It's best to leave this nest undisturbed, as the wasps are unlikely to bother humans. They may buzz around anyone who walks by too closely.
If a sand wasp, there's still nothing to worry about. It is a solitary wasp that collects flies.
Thank you!
Brent Whitney
He/Him
Founding Director
Licensed Massage Therapist
On 10 Jul 2024, at 4:30 PM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
