Cicada killers (Sphecius speciosus)

[XxMochiixX]

This was a thing from over the summer, I still don't know how it went yet

I caught a few of these in July after I had a 12 gallon tank set up for them and they started digging after 2 weeks. The thing is cicadas are reallyyy hard to find here and I only got 4 for them. They paralyzed them and took them in the burrows, but I can't see inside anymore (they sealed the whole thing with sand) or tell if they actually laid eggs. I don't wanna dig it up and end up injuring any pupae that might be in there, so I'll have to wait until next year to see if it was a success


Underside of the tank - the dark thing at the end of the burrow is the paralyzed cicada

 

[schmiggle]

This was a thing from over the summer, I still don't know how it went yet

I caught a few of these in July after I had a 12 gallon tank set up for them and they started digging after 2 weeks. The thing is cicadas are reallyyy hard to find here and I only got 4 for them. They paralyzed them and took them in the burrows, but I can't see inside anymore (they sealed the whole thing with sand) or tell if they actually laid eggs. I don't wanna dig it up and end up injuring any pupae that might be in there, so I'll have to wait until next year to see if it was a success
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Underside of the tank - the dark thing at the end of the burrow is the paralyzed cicada
View attachment 364172

This is super cool! Guess wasps are kind of your thing now.

I've found cicadas hard to find even when I can hear them everywhere, so if you figure out how to get them let me know lol. I don't know if there's some kind of light trap or similar you can set up.

I'll be following to see if there are any bebbes

 

[XxSpiderQueenxX]

This was a thing from over the summer, I still don't know how it went yet

I caught a few of these in July after I had a 12 gallon tank set up for them and they started digging after 2 weeks. The thing is cicadas are reallyyy hard to find here and I only got 4 for them. They paralyzed them and took them in the burrows, but I can't see inside anymore (they sealed the whole thing with sand) or tell if they actually laid eggs. I don't wanna dig it up and end up injuring any pupae that might be in there, so I'll have to wait until next year to see if it was a success
View attachment 364167 View attachment 364168 View attachment 364173 View attachment 364170 View attachment 364169

Underside of the tank - the dark thing at the end of the burrow is the paralyzed cicada
View attachment 364172

thats amazing! those wasps look really cool-

 

[XxMochiixX]

This is super cool! Guess wasps are kind of your thing now.

I've found cicadas hard to find even when I can hear them everywhere, so if you figure out how to get them let me know lol. I don't know if there's some kind of light trap or similar you can set up.

I'll be following to see if there are any bebbes

The only cicadas I found were mismolted or dying but you might find some by going out early when nymphs are still coming out the ground

 

[XxMochiixX]

thats amazing! those wasps look really cool-

Their lifespan is kind of short (2 months) but they were so fun to have anyway

 

[XxSpiderQueenxX]

Their lifespan is kind of short (2 months) but they were so fun to have anyway

two months only? wow that is super short lol

 

[pannaking22]

If you go out during/right after rain you should be able to find more nymphs as they climb up trees and things to find good molting spots. Then you can just place them somewhere until they finish molting before giving them to the wasps.

 

[XxMochiixX]

If you go out during/right after rain you should be able to find more nymphs as they climb up trees and things to find good molting spots. Then you can just place them somewhere until they finish molting before giving them to the wasps.

Thanks, I'll definitely remember that for next year!

 

[The Snark]

If you are a little electronically minded or know someone who is. There are home brew and kits out there of portable sonic direction finders. A plastic bowl for a reception dish, a battery powered amplifier and a meter, making it easy to detect the location of cicadas or other sounds.

 

[Ponerinecat]

Beautiful wasps! I had no idea these could be kept. Heres a Vespa species I saw in China butchering a cicada, the poor things can't get a break.

 

[Salmonsaladsandwich]

It's pretty neat that they behave normally and dig their burrows when kept in tanks, I would've assumed something so big and active would just try to escape.

Solitary wasps are some of my favorite insects, I've seen people keep those metallic green cockroach hunters as well which kinda makes me want to try it.

 

[XxSpiderQueenxX]

I have always wanted to try keeping mud daubers or any solitary wasp so this is pretty cool lol

 

[XxSpiderQueenxX]

what is the substrate?

 

[XxMochiixX]

It's pretty neat that they behave normally and dig their burrows when kept in tanks, I would've assumed something so big and active would just try to escape.

Solitary wasps are some of my favorite insects, I've seen people keep those metallic green cockroach hunters as well which kinda makes me want to try it.

Keeping these and a few others has made me want to try even more solitary species next year lol

 

[XxMochiixX]

what is the substrate?

The bottom layer is just fine sand and the top is "excavator clay" mixed with some of the same sand and just enough water to keep it from drying out

Also my mud daubers never nested, they did live like 8 months though

 

[XxSpiderQueenxX]

Keeping these and a few others has made me want to try even more solitary species next year lol

what other solitary species did you keep?

 

[XxMochiixX]

Entypus unifasciatus, Monobia quadridens, Isodontia philadelphica, Sphex pensylvanicus, Sphex ichneumoneus and Astata unicolor

 

[Ponerinecat]

Ever had success with sphecinae or pomilidae?

 

[XxSpiderQueenxX]

Entypus unifasciatus, Monobia quadridens, Isodontia philadelphica, Sphex pensylvanicus, Sphex ichneumoneus and Astata unicolor

You’ve kept spider wasps?! That’s so cool lol

 

[XxMochiixX]

Ever had success with sphecinae or pomilidae?

The Isodontia didn't do well at all for some reason, but I didn't have any problem breeding Sphex. Entypus unifasciatus bred fine in captivity so I'll try other pompilids next season

Sphex ichneumoneus

Entypus unifasciatus