When people refer to a “ground hornet,” they are typically describing the Eastern Cicada Killer Wasp, Sphecius speciosus. This large, solitary wasp is often mistaken for a true hornet due to its imposing size and black-and-yellow coloration, yet it is actually a species of sand wasp. The common name arises from its habit of constructing burrows in the soil. The diet of this insect is split between the adult’s energy needs and the nourishment required for the next generation.
Identifying the Wasp Misidentified as a Ground Hornet
The Eastern Cicada Killer Wasp is one of the largest wasp species found in North America. Females reach lengths between 1.5 and 2 inches with a wingspan that can approach three inches. Despite its size, this species is solitary, meaning it does not live in a communal colony with a queen and workers like a yellow jacket or a true hornet. The wasp’s appearance features a black body marked with bright yellow bands across the abdomen and reddish-orange wings, contributing to the confusion with more aggressive stinging insects.
The “ground” part of the misnomer accurately describes the female’s nesting behavior. She excavates individual burrows in well-drained, loose soil like sand or sparse turf. Each female digs her own vertical or angled tunnel, which may extend 6 to 10 inches deep and up to 36 inches long, often leaving a noticeable mound of soil at the entrance. Unlike social wasps, the female cicada killer is generally docile and uses her stinger almost exclusively for subduing prey rather than for defense. The males, who patrol their territories, lack a stinger entirely.
What Adult Wasps Consume for Energy
The adult Cicada Killer Wasp is sustained by a non-predatory diet focused on simple carbohydrates for energy. Both males and females primarily feed on liquid energy sources, such as nectar collected from flowers. This consumption fuels their flight and maintenance activities throughout their adult lifespan of about 60 to 75 days.
Adults also seek out and consume sweet exudates from plants, such as tree sap. Their feeding habits make them functional pollinators as they move between flowering plants while gathering energy. The adults’ diet is purely herbivorous, contrasting sharply with the predatory nature of their offspring’s food source. Adults are not hunting to feed themselves but rather to provision the next generation.
Food Provisioning for Larvae
The most intriguing aspect of the Cicada Killer Wasp’s diet is the food source designated for its developing offspring. Food provisioning is entirely the responsibility of the female wasp, who must hunt and secure enough prey to sustain each larva. The sole source of protein and nutrition for the larvae is large, paralyzed insects, predominantly annual cicadas (Neotibicen species).
The female actively searches for cicadas, often canvassing tree trunks and lower limbs. Once a cicada is located, the female uses a precise sting to inject venom that paralyzes the prey without killing it. This neurotoxin-induced coma keeps the cicada fresh and prevents decay, ensuring a living food source for the larva when it hatches. Transporting the paralyzed cicada, which can be heavy, often involves dragging the prey across the ground or flying short distances with it.
Once the paralyzed cicada is brought back to the burrow, the female deposits it into an individual underground chamber, or cell, that she prepared. She then lays a single egg on the cicada’s body before sealing the chamber. Female wasps control the sex of their offspring, provisioning larger female larvae with two or three cicadas, while smaller male larvae are typically provided with one. After the egg hatches, the legless grub-like larva begins to consume the paralyzed cicada.
The larva selectively feeds on the cicada’s non-vital organs first, prolonging the cicada’s life and keeping the meat fresh for approximately four to ten days. The larva continues to feed until only the outer shell remains. This carnivorous diet provides the necessary nutrients for the larva to grow before it spins a cocoon and overwinters in the burrow. It completes its development and emerges as an adult the following summer.