Cicada Killer, Giant Ground Hornet, Sphecius hogardii (Latreille) and Sphecius speciosus (Drury) (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Sphecidae)

Cicada killers, or giant ground hornets, are among the largest wasps in Florida (up to 40 mm in length). They are conspicuous insects, since the males are territorial and will butt or grapple with intruders including other males. There are 22 species of Sphecius Dahlbom in the world and all hunt ci...

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Main Author: Lionel A. Stange
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: The University of Florida George A. Smathers Libraries 2005-02-01
Series:EDIS
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Online Access:https://journals.flvc.org/edis/article/view/114191
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author Lionel A. Stange
author_facet Lionel A. Stange
author_sort Lionel A. Stange
collection DOAJ
description Cicada killers, or giant ground hornets, are among the largest wasps in Florida (up to 40 mm in length). They are conspicuous insects, since the males are territorial and will butt or grapple with intruders including other males. There are 22 species of Sphecius Dahlbom in the world and all hunt cicadas as far as is known. Two of four Nearctic species of Sphecius occur in Florida. The females of the common Florida species, Sphecius speciosus (Drury), hunt Tibicen spp. cicadas and can dig 4-foot burrows in the ground with several branches and cells. The provisioning with cicadas is nearly specific to Sphecius in the family Sphecidae, but is known in a few other sphecids such as Liogorytes joergenseni (Brethes) from Argentina (Bohart and Stange 1976). This document is EENY295, one of a series of the Entomology and Nematology Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Original publication date June 2003. Revised January 10, 2005.  EENY295/IN573: Cicada Killer, Giant Ground Hornet, Sphecius hogardii (Latreille) and Sphecius speciosus (Drury) (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Sphecidae) (ufl.edu)
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spelling doaj-art-f2a54ec3b6a2439388b0a045c8af9d0b2025-02-08T06:26:15ZengThe University of Florida George A. Smathers LibrariesEDIS2576-00092005-02-0120051Cicada Killer, Giant Ground Hornet, Sphecius hogardii (Latreille) and Sphecius speciosus (Drury) (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Sphecidae)Lionel A. Stange0University of Florida Cicada killers, or giant ground hornets, are among the largest wasps in Florida (up to 40 mm in length). They are conspicuous insects, since the males are territorial and will butt or grapple with intruders including other males. There are 22 species of Sphecius Dahlbom in the world and all hunt cicadas as far as is known. Two of four Nearctic species of Sphecius occur in Florida. The females of the common Florida species, Sphecius speciosus (Drury), hunt Tibicen spp. cicadas and can dig 4-foot burrows in the ground with several branches and cells. The provisioning with cicadas is nearly specific to Sphecius in the family Sphecidae, but is known in a few other sphecids such as Liogorytes joergenseni (Brethes) from Argentina (Bohart and Stange 1976). This document is EENY295, one of a series of the Entomology and Nematology Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Original publication date June 2003. Revised January 10, 2005.  EENY295/IN573: Cicada Killer, Giant Ground Hornet, Sphecius hogardii (Latreille) and Sphecius speciosus (Drury) (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Sphecidae) (ufl.edu) https://journals.flvc.org/edis/article/view/114191IN573
spellingShingle Lionel A. Stange
Cicada Killer, Giant Ground Hornet, Sphecius hogardii (Latreille) and Sphecius speciosus (Drury) (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Sphecidae)
EDIS
IN573
title Cicada Killer, Giant Ground Hornet, Sphecius hogardii (Latreille) and Sphecius speciosus (Drury) (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Sphecidae)
title_full Cicada Killer, Giant Ground Hornet, Sphecius hogardii (Latreille) and Sphecius speciosus (Drury) (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Sphecidae)
title_fullStr Cicada Killer, Giant Ground Hornet, Sphecius hogardii (Latreille) and Sphecius speciosus (Drury) (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Sphecidae)
title_full_unstemmed Cicada Killer, Giant Ground Hornet, Sphecius hogardii (Latreille) and Sphecius speciosus (Drury) (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Sphecidae)
title_short Cicada Killer, Giant Ground Hornet, Sphecius hogardii (Latreille) and Sphecius speciosus (Drury) (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Sphecidae)
title_sort cicada killer giant ground hornet sphecius hogardii latreille and sphecius speciosus drury insecta hymenoptera sphecidae
topic IN573
url https://journals.flvc.org/edis/article/view/114191
work_keys_str_mv AT lionelastange cicadakillergiantgroundhornetspheciushogardiilatreilleandspheciusspeciosusdruryinsectahymenopterasphecidae