Cicada Killer

[salden]

or "Photographer Killer". This gal/guy was aggressive. I had a hard time getting the image and final switched out my macro to my 200mm and cropped. He/She would chase off anything that got remotely close to it (bees, flies, birds, ME).

[beetleman]

Beautiful photos Sue. I believe these are rather burly wasps Notice his front legs are up in a snatching position

[Ken Ramos]

Colorful looking critter, almost like a hornet. Why "cicada killer?" Really a nice photograph there Sue. After it chasing me off though I probably would have swatted it after getting the photograph. It would be just my luck though that family and friends of the thing would see me and then...well you know...

[salden]

...Why "cicada killer?" ...

Spbecius speciousus

"Females hunt cicadas one at a time. Each victim is stung and carried back to nest. 1-2 cicadas are placed in each nest cell." Larvae feeds on the cicadas.

[Ken Ramos]

Oh I see. Good thing there is a Sonic here. If I had a female nearby I would send her over for some Super Sonic hamburgers and tots w/cheese and Jalapenos. By the way, that must really be some nest to stuff a cicada into it!

[salden]

Each nest has 2 - 3 cells each, so yea, I think it would be big, but it is in the ground, making it hard to find.

...banana split, sonic, female to pick it all up for you...Ken you are not that far from me..really you are not...

[Ken Ramos]

Sue wrote:

female to pick it all up for you...

well...no. I was going to fix the "naner split" myself.

[Mike B in OKlahoma]

Good job. Looks like it didn't want anything else to get a drink till it was through!