Taking Care of the Cicada Killer Mounds in Belmar, NJ

Recently, we were sent out to a home in Belmar, NJ to handle a massive cicada killer wasp infestation in the backyard. Cicada killer wasps are large solitary insects that may look deadly and dangerous, but aren't aggressive. In fact, they'll rarely sting unless they are grasped roughly, stepped upon with bare feet, or caught in clothing. Why the clever name? Because they kill cicadas! Actually, the female cicada killer wasp will paralyze a cicada with their stinger, carry it back to their burrow, and lay their eggs under the left or right second leg of the cicada. The eggs then hatch and the larvae begin to eat the cicada while it is paralyzed. 

During the burrowing process, female cicada killer wasp can displace several pounds of dirt making a big mess and damaging the roots of plants. Additionally, they can dig in areas near walkways which can make some structures unstable. We injected a residual dusting product into every single one of the cicada killer burrows and placed some granular bait in and around their burrows. These treatments will quickly exterminate the cicada killer wasps.