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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Hymenoptera) » Aculeata - Ants, Bees and Stinging Wasps » Apoidea sans Anthophila – Apoid Wasps » Square-headed Wasps, Sand Wasps, and Allies (Crabronidae) » Bembicinae » Sand Wasps (Bembicini) » Spheciina » Cicada-killer Wasps (Sphecius) » Eastern Cicada-killer Wasp (Sphecius speciosus)
Photo#655170
Eastern cicada killer - Sphecius speciosus
Copyright © 2012 Sandra McKennon-Volk

Eastern cicada killer - Sphecius speciosus
Lake Dallas, Denton County, Texas, USA
June 10, 2012
I believe this is an Eastern cicada killer. It hung around our side yard today and hovered about the utilities meter, landing on it frequently. Late this afternoon it had the tip of it's abdomen in one of the screw holes and was making a pumping motion. Almost like a "stinging" motion, but not frenzied at all. Not sure what this behavior was but I thought it was odd.

Images of this individual: tag all
Eastern cicada killer - Sphecius speciosus Eastern cicada killer - Sphecius speciosus Eastern cicada killer - Sphecius speciosus
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Contributed by Sandra McKennon-Volk on 10 June, 2012 - 8:09pm

Behaviour
This is a male. He was likely perched waiting for females. The pumping motion supports breathing. When the abdomen contracts air gets pushed out of the tracheal system. When it expands air rushes back in. Like all wasp males he does not have a stinger.
… Matthias Buck, 6 June, 2019 - 10:06pm login or register to post comments

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