Suspicious Mounds in Your Lawn

Photo Credit: A co-worker of Jim Sullivan, the author of the humorous blog post referenced below.

Late summer is when Cicada Killer Wasps emerge from their underground burrows to feed on, well, cicadas, naturally.

When they burrow out, they leave a six to eight inch diameter horseshoe-shaped pile of dirt around the nest entrance.

Usually, the wasps nest in already disturbed soil, or loose, sandy soil and are not a problem in thick, well-maintained lawns. That said, female wasps are solitary and non-aggressive--while they can sting, they rarely do. Male cicada killers are more aggressive than their female counterparts, but are unable to sting.

If you want to learn more about these creatures, you have to check out this hilarious blog post by a man in Massachusetts who observes a population at his office every year.