Killer Wasp No Threat to Humans

It's a killer alright, but it turns out noisy summertime Cicadas are its only victims. Wanda Mortensen sparked my interest in the "Cicada Killer" wasp after posting photos of the insect to her blog. I too had seen the frighteningly large - up to 2 inch - wasps hovering around a tree in my back yard. After doing a little research on the internet, I learned the Cicada Killer earned its name by its habit of laying eggs on the paralyzed bodies of Cicadas. The wasp digs tunnels in the earth, each of which contains a single egg and "Cicada Happy Meal" for the wasp larva to consume before starting the cycle all over again. The Cicada Killer is capable of stinging but generally ignores humans as it goes about its morbid business. No need to grab that can of wasp spray!