Archive for month: October, 2026

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Opossum eating dry food from a metal pet bowl on a porch at night

Opossum and Dogs (and Cats): Are Pets at Risk?

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Opossums wander through a lot of Ohio backyards at night, and the pets that live there notice. Most opossum and dogs encounters end with a lot of barking and an opossum hissing, climbing or playing dead. The bigger risk usually runs the other way, toward the opossum. Here’s what to know and how to keep everyone apart.

What Happens When an Opossum and Dogs Meet

A threatened opossum bluffs first. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says it will hiss, drool, growl and try to bluff its way out, and may then play dead. The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife notes that opossums are preyed on by unsupervised dogs, and that a cornered opossum may attack a dog or cat. So the problems come when a pet corners or grabs one.

If your dog or cat catches an opossum, call even if the opossum looks fine. Our opossum rescue page lists “an animal caught by a dog or cat, even if it looks fine” as a sign it needs rescue. Check your pet for bites or scratches and call your veterinarian with any concerns.

Tabby cat sitting indoors at a window at night, a simple way to avoid opossum and dogs or cats run-ins
Keeping pets inside at night avoids most backyard encounters.

Shared Food Bowls

Opossums eat almost anything. FWC notes they’ll eat whatever is available, from plants and animals to garbage. A bowl of kibble on the porch is an open invitation, and it can bring an opossum right up to the door where your pets go in and out.

  • Feed pets indoors. Massachusetts recommends it specifically.
  • Pick up bowls before dark if you feed outside.
  • Secure trash, bird seed and fallen fruit. FWC lists all of these as ways to reduce visits.

Simple Pet Routines

  • Leash or supervise dogs at night. Massachusetts recommends keeping pets leashed.
  • Keep cats indoors after dark, when opossums are most active.
  • Do a quick yard check with a flashlight before letting dogs out late.
  • Close off hiding spots. Wisconsin DNR notes opossums rest in places like brush piles and under buildings or porches.

What About Disease?

The Cornell Wildlife Health Lab notes rabies is rarely found in opossums. Still, the Ohio Division of Wildlife warns that wild animals can carry diseases and parasites, some of which can pass to people or pets. Keeping pets and wildlife apart is the simplest protection. See are opossums dangerous?

Frequently Asked Questions

My dog “killed” an opossum, but it’s not moving. Is it dead?

Maybe not. It may be playing dead. Bring the dog inside and don’t pick it up. See opossum playing dead.

Will an opossum go after my pet?

Rarely. Massachusetts describes opossums as harmless and nomadic, but a cornered one may defend itself.

Pet Caught an Opossum?

Our Opossum Rescue & Transport service is for opossums that are injured, orphaned or trapped. Call or text 419-614-6445 with a photo and your location, or use our contact page. We contain the animal gently in a ventilated carrier, never with bare hands, and drive it to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for care. See opossum rescue. Opossums are the only mammals we rescue.

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Opossum hissing with its mouth wide open, showing many teeth

Are Opossums Dangerous? Hissing, Drooling and Other Bluffs

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Corner an opossum and it may open its mouth wide, hiss, drool and show a lot of teeth. It’s a startling sight, so people ask: are opossums dangerous? Mostly, no. That display is a bluff, and an opossum would much rather scare you off, climb away or play dead than fight.

Are Opossums Dangerous When They Hiss?

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission explains that a threatened opossum will hiss, drool, growl and try to bluff its way out. If it still feels threatened, it may play dead. The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife notes opossums may growl, hiss, bare their teeth or climb when threatened. They have 50 teeth, more than any other land mammal on the continent, so the display looks fierce.

But Massachusetts wildlife officials also describe opossums as harmless and very rarely a threat to people. The open mouth is meant to make you step back. Do that, and the encounter is usually over.

Opossum climbing a tree trunk at dusk, one way it avoids conflict when people ask are opossums dangerous
Opossums often climb away from trouble rather than fight.

Real Risks vs Imagined Ones

  • Rabies is extremely rare. The Cornell Wildlife Health Lab notes opossums keep a lower body temperature, about 94 to 97°F, than most mammals, which is thought to make it hard for the rabies virus to survive. Massachusetts calls it extremely rare for an opossum to contract rabies.
  • Bites happen when they’re handled. Like any wild animal, a cornered or grabbed opossum can bite. Tufts Wildlife Clinic advises never using bare hands with wild mammals.
  • Parasites and disease. Cornell notes opossums can carry fleas, ticks, mites and lice, and the Ohio Division of Wildlife warns that wild animals can carry diseases and parasites that can pass to people or pets.
  • Pets. Massachusetts notes a cornered opossum may attack a dog or cat. See opossums and dogs.

How to Avoid Trouble

  • Give it an exit. Back away and let it leave. Most will.
  • Don’t corner or grab it. If it goes limp, don’t pick it up. See opossum playing dead.
  • Bring pets in until it moves on.
  • Remove food. FWC suggests securing trash, outdoor pet food, bird seed and fallen fruit to reduce visits.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is an opossum out in the daytime rabid?

Not necessarily. Massachusetts notes they sometimes come out in daylight, especially when food is scarce. One that seems confused, hurt or unable to move away may need help.

Do opossums help with ticks?

FWC notes they eat ticks they find while grooming, which may reduce the number of ticks in an area.

Will you remove a healthy opossum?

Healthy adults passing through usually move on by themselves. Our rescue service is for opossums that are hurt, orphaned or trapped.

Opossum Hurt or Trapped?

Our Opossum Rescue & Transport service is for opossums that are injured, orphaned or trapped. Call or text 419-614-6445 with a photo and your location, or use our contact page. We contain the animal gently in a ventilated carrier, never with bare hands, and drive it to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for care. See opossum rescue. Opossums are the only mammals we rescue.

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Mother opossum carrying several young on her back along a log

Why We Take Opossums to a Wildlife Rehabber: Ohio Rules and Reasons

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When we rescue an opossum, our job ends at the door of a licensed wildlife rehabber. Ohio law and plain good sense both point the same way: injured and orphaned wild animals do best with people who are trained and permitted to care for them. Here’s what a rehabilitator does and why we don’t raise or release opossums ourselves.

Wildlife Rehabber, Ohio Edition: What Rehabilitators Do

A licensed wildlife rehabilitator takes in injured, sick or orphaned wild animals, treats and raises them, and returns them to the wild when they’re ready. The Ohio Division of Wildlife explains that rehabilitators go through training on how to raise and treat young and injured wildlife. It also notes that each animal’s nutritional, housing and handling needs are very specific and must be met if it is to have any chance of survival.

The Division of Wildlife publishes a list of permitted wildlife rehabilitators, organized by county.

Young opossum alone on leaf litter, an orphan that may need a wildlife rehabber; Ohio requires a permit to raise one
A young opossum that falls off its mother’s back can be left behind.

Why Not Just Keep It or Release It?

  • It’s the law. The Ohio Division of Wildlife says it is illegal to possess, restrain or keep any wild animal without a permit. The purpose is to protect wild animal populations and to protect people from disease and injury.
  • Disease and parasites. ODNR notes wild animals can carry diseases and parasites, some of which can pass to people or pets.
  • Habituation. ODNR warns that an animal that becomes habituated to humans cannot be returned to the wild.
  • Feeding mistakes. ODNR says never give food or water to injured or orphaned wildlife, because inappropriate food can lead to sickness or death.

When a Young Opossum Is an Orphan

Wisconsin DNR explains that young opossums ride on their mother’s back once they’re about 3 to 4 inches long. Occasionally one falls off, and if it doesn’t catch up and climb back on, it’s left behind. They become independent at about 4 months, when they’re roughly 7 to 9 inches from snout to rump.

Tufts Wildlife Clinic gives a simple rule: an opossum over 7 inches long, not counting the tail, is old enough to be on its own. One under 7 inches is an orphan and should go to a licensed rehabilitator. Our opossum rescue page also lists young opossums alone, especially if they are cold, weak or covered in flies, as a sign help is needed.

Our Part

We safely contain the opossum in a ventilated carrier and drive it to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. The rehabilitator handles care and release. If you can, note exactly where the animal was found, because location matters for release. See how to keep an injured opossum safe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I drive it to a rehabber myself?

You can contact a permitted rehabilitator on the state list directly. If you’re not comfortable containing or transporting the animal, call us.

Do you rescue other wildlife?

No. Opossums are the only mammals we rescue.

Found an Orphaned or Injured Opossum?

Our Opossum Rescue & Transport service is for opossums that are injured, orphaned or trapped. Call or text 419-614-6445 with a photo and your location, or use our contact page. We contain the animal gently in a ventilated carrier, never with bare hands, and drive it to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for care. See opossum rescue. Opossums are the only mammals we rescue.

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Upside-down ventilated laundry basket on a lawn with a folded towel beside it

Injured Opossum? How to Keep It Safe Until Help Arrives

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An injured opossum by the road, in the yard or in the garage needs two things: to be kept safe and calm, and to get to someone licensed to treat it. You don’t have to do the second part. Here’s how to handle the first few minutes until help arrives.

Signs an Injured Opossum Needs Rescue

Our opossum rescue page lists the signs: an opossum that’s injured, bleeding or can’t walk normally; a mother hit on the road, since young may still be in her pouch; an animal caught by a dog or cat, even if it looks fine; and one out in daylight that seems confused or unable to move away. The Ohio Division of Wildlife also lists open wounds and being attacked by a pet as reasons to get help.

Make sure it isn’t just playing dead. A frightened opossum can lie limp for minutes to hours and then walk away. See opossum playing dead.

Ventilated pet carrier with a folded towel inside, ready for an injured opossum
An injured opossum is moved in a ventilated carrier, never carried by hand.

Until We Arrive

  • Keep kids and pets away. A hurt animal is a frightened animal.
  • No bare hands. Tufts Wildlife Clinic advises thick gloves and a jacket if you must handle a wild mammal, since all mammals can carry rabies.
  • Cover it loosely with a ventilated box or an upside-down laundry basket. A towel over the top helps.
  • Keep it quiet and dark. Less light and noise means less stress.
  • No food or water. The Ohio Division of Wildlife says never give food or water to injured or orphaned wildlife, because the wrong food can cause sickness or death.
  • Note the exact location. Where it was found matters for release.

If You Must Move It

Sometimes an animal is in traffic or another dangerous spot. Tufts describes placing a thick towel over the animal, gathering it inside the towel, and setting it right into a sturdy box or carrier with a secure lid and air holes. Do this only if it’s safe, and never with bare hands.

What Happens Next

We contain the opossum gently in a ventilated carrier and drive it to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for care and, when possible, release. The rehabilitator handles care and release. See why we take opossums to a wildlife rehabber.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I keep it overnight and nurse it?

No. The Ohio Division of Wildlife says it’s illegal to keep wildlife without a permit, and each species has specific care needs.

What if it’s a mother hit on the road?

Call. Young may be alive in her pouch.

My dog caught an opossum. Does it need help?

Call even if it looks fine, since injuries aren’t always visible. See opossums and dogs for keeping pets and opossums apart.

Found an Injured Opossum?

Our Opossum Rescue & Transport service is for opossums that are injured, orphaned or trapped. Call or text 419-614-6445 with a photo and your location, or use our contact page. We contain the animal gently in a ventilated carrier, never with bare hands, and drive it to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for care. See opossum rescue. Opossums are the only mammals we rescue.

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Opossum at the bottom of a corrugated metal window well

Opossum in Window Well, Pool or Trash Can? How to Help It Out

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It’s a common morning surprise: an opossum in window well, staring up from the gravel at the bottom. Pools, trash cans and other steep-sided spaces trap opossums too. The good news is that many can climb out on their own once you give them a way. Here’s how to help without getting too close.

Helping an Opossum in Window Well Spaces

Wildlife Illinois notes that window wells without covers commonly trap wildlife, including opossums. For larger animals like opossums, it recommends placing a rough board in the well at an angle so the animal can climb out on its own.

  • Use a rough board, not a smooth one, so claws can grip.
  • Lower it gently from above. Don’t climb into the well.
  • Step away. Opossums are mostly nocturnal, so it may wait until dark to leave.
  • Keep pets inside until it’s gone.
Rough wooden board leaning at an angle in a window well, an escape ramp for an opossum in window well
A rough board set at an angle gives a trapped animal something to climb.

Pools and Trash Cans

The same idea applies: give it a way out rather than reaching in. If an opossum is in a trash can and you can do it safely, tip the can gently onto its side from a distance and step back. An opossum in a swimming pool needs help right away, so call us while you keep people and pets away.

Don’t Handle It Bare-Handed

A frightened opossum may hiss, drool and show its teeth, then go limp. See opossum playing dead. Tufts Wildlife Clinic advises never using bare hands with wild mammals, because all mammals can carry rabies, and to avoid being bitten, licked or scratched. Our opossum rescue service contains trapped opossums gently in a ventilated carrier, never with bare hands.

When to Call

  • It hasn’t left after a night with a board in place.
  • It looks hurt, can’t walk normally, or there’s blood.
  • It’s in a pool, a fence, a garage or another spot you can’t easily make an exit for.
  • There are young with it, or tiny ones alone. See why we take opossums to a wildlife rehabber.

Prevent the Next One

Wildlife Illinois recommends a plastic or metal window well cover installed flush against the wall. The Ohio Division of Wildlife also suggests capping chimneys, vents and window wells to keep animals from getting trapped (ODNR Pub 310). Keep trash cans lidded so they’re less tempting to climb into.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I feed it while it’s stuck?

No. The Ohio Division of Wildlife says never give food or water to injured or orphaned wildlife.

Can I lift it out with a shovel?

Please don’t. It risks injury to the animal and a bite to you. Use a board or call.

Opossum Stuck and Can’t Get Out?

Our Opossum Rescue & Transport service is for opossums that are injured, orphaned or trapped. Call or text 419-614-6445 with a photo and your location, or use our contact page. We contain the animal gently in a ventilated carrier, never with bare hands, and drive it to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for care. See opossum rescue. Opossums are the only mammals we rescue.

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Opossum lying limp on its side in grass with its mouth slightly open

Opossum Playing Dead: What to Do When an Opossum Plays Possum

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You find an opossum lying on its side in the yard, mouth open, not moving. The dog is circling. Is it dead? Maybe not. An opossum playing dead is one of the strangest defenses in the animal world, and the best thing you can do is usually to give it space and quiet.

Why an Opossum Playing Dead Looks So Real

The Missouri Department of Conservation describes the sequence: a threatened opossum first bares its teeth and drips saliva, then rolls onto its side with its tongue out while its heartbeat slows. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission describes the same catatonic state: the animal goes completely limp, breathing and heart rate drop, and it may give off a foul smell.

The Ohio Division of Wildlife Mammals of Ohio field guide says the opossum essentially passes out when confronted with danger, then wakes up a short time later and goes about its business. It isn’t a choice in the way people imagine “faking it.” It’s an involuntary response to fear.

Opossum walking across a lawn toward shrubs, as it might once opossum playing dead behavior ends
Once the threat is gone, an opossum that was playing dead usually gets up and leaves.

How Long Does It Last?

The Cornell Wildlife Health Lab says opossums can stay in this state from minutes to as long as 6 hours. The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife says several minutes to several hours. Most come around once the threat, often a dog, a cat or curious people, has left.

What to Do

  • Don’t pick it up. FWC says if an opossum appears dead, do not try to pick it up. It may be playing dead to escape a larger predator, which includes you and your pets.
  • Bring pets inside and keep kids back.
  • Leave it quiet. Turn off bright lights and step away where you can watch from a distance.
  • Check again later. If it’s gone, it was just frightened.

When It Needs Help

Call if the opossum is still there after several hours, or if you see blood, a wound, or it can’t walk normally once it gets up. Also call if a dog or cat caught it, even if it looks fine. Our opossum rescue page lists these signs. If it’s a mother hit on the road, young may still be in her pouch. See injured opossum: how to keep it safe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will it bite if I touch it?

It might, and Tufts Wildlife Clinic advises never using bare hands with wild mammals. Don’t touch it.

Is it sick if it’s out during the day?

Not necessarily. Massachusetts wildlife officials note opossums are mostly nocturnal but sometimes come out in daylight, especially when food is scarce. One that seems confused or unable to move away may need help.

Is playing dead a sign it’s dangerous?

No. It’s a defense. See are opossums dangerous?

Opossum Still Down or Hurt?

Our Opossum Rescue & Transport service is for opossums that are injured, orphaned or trapped. Call or text 419-614-6445 with a photo and your location, or use our contact page. We contain the animal gently in a ventilated carrier, never with bare hands, and drive it to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for care. See opossum rescue. Opossums are the only mammals we rescue.

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Dog sniffing a small hole in a lawn

Cicada Killer Dog Safety: Are Pets at Risk?

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A big, slow-flying wasp low over the lawn is irresistible to a lot of dogs. If you have a cicada killer dog situation, with a pup chasing, pawing or snapping at the wasps, the good news is that cicada killers rarely sting. The bad news is that a dog grabbing one in its mouth is exactly the kind of disturbance that can lead to a sting. Here’s what to know.

The Real Cicada Killer Dog Risk

University of Kentucky Entomology says cicada killers aren’t considered stinging hazards unless they are directly disturbed. OSU Buckeye Yard and Garden onLine notes the females aren’t aggressive and stinging encounters are extremely rare. The ones that hover and chase are usually males, and OSU Extension ENT-0102 notes males are incapable of stinging.

So a dog running around the yard is at low risk. A dog that digs at burrows or catches a female in its mouth is a different story. That’s when a sting on the nose, lip or mouth is possible.

Leashed dog walking a mowed backyard path, a simple cicada killer dog safety routine
Leash walks keep a curious dog away from active burrows.

Signs Your Dog Was Stung

VCA Animal Hospitals says to consider an insect sting if your dog suddenly paws at its face, chews at a foot, or starts to swell anywhere. Dogs stung in the mouth may have trouble eating. VCA also notes that allergic reactions usually occur within 20 minutes but can be delayed for hours, so close monitoring matters.

Get your dog to a veterinarian or emergency clinic right away for severe swelling around the head or neck, trouble breathing, or drooling from swelling in the throat. The Merck Veterinary Manual lists sudden diarrhea, heavy drooling, vomiting, collapse and seizures as signs of a severe allergic reaction. Call your vet before giving any medication.

Simple Yard Routines for Pet Owners

  • Know where the burrows are. Look for finger-width holes with fans of loose soil in sunny, bare spots.
  • Leash or redirect near burrows during July and August, when activity peaks.
  • Don’t let the dog dig at holes. Digging is how a dog ends up face to face with a female.
  • Change the spot. UKY notes mulch, shade or added irrigation can make cicada killers move elsewhere.
  • Skip lawn insecticides. OSU does not recommend them for cicada killers, and they add another exposure for pets.

Make Sure It’s Not Yellowjackets

Yellowjacket ground nests are a much bigger risk to dogs because many wasps defend the nest and can sting repeatedly. See cicada killer vs. yellowjacket, keeping kids and pets safe around nests and multiple wasp stings.

Frequently Asked Questions

My dog ate a cicada killer. Now what?

Watch for swelling, pawing at the mouth, drooling or trouble breathing, and call your veterinarian if you see any of them.

Can male cicada killers hurt my dog?

Males can’t sting. See male cicada killers.

Cicada Killers Where Your Dog Plays?

We relocate cicada killers instead of putting poison into the soil where people and pets walk. Call or text Northwest Ohio Wasp Removal at 419-614-6445, or use our contact page, and send a photo of the wasps or burrows if you can. See cicada killer relocation for how it works.

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Hole with spilled sand in the joint between brick pavers

Cicada Killers in Pavers, Patios and Retaining Walls

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Little piles of sand on the patio every morning, a hole between two bricks, and big wasps cruising low over the pavers. Cicada killers in pavers, patios and retaining walls are a common midsummer complaint, and there’s a simple reason for it. The materials under and between hardscape are exactly what these wasps like to dig.

Why Cicada Killers in Pavers Are So Common

University of Kentucky Entomology says female cicada killers dig burrows in dry, sandy, loose soils. Paver joints and the bedding under pavers are often sand. The backfill behind a retaining wall is usually loose and well drained. These spots are sunny, warm and easy to dig. UKY specifically notes that people often see large piles of sand or loose soil building up near retaining walls.

Our cicada killer relocation page describes the same thing: a bare patch by a sidewalk or a sandy edge can draw them back year after year.

Soil pile and hole at the base of a block retaining wall, a sign of cicada killers in pavers and walls
University of Kentucky Entomology notes cicada killer soil piles often build up near retaining walls.

Is It Hurting the Patio?

UKY says the issues from cicada killer digging are mostly aesthetic. The soil piles can smother turf or bother plants, and they’re annoying on a clean patio. Over time, sand pulled out of joints can leave gaps between pavers, so it’s worth refilling joints after the season.

Sting Risk on a Patio

OSU Buckeye Yard and Garden onLine notes the females are not aggressive and stings are extremely rare. The big wasps hovering over the patio are usually males, which can’t sting. See male cicada killers. The real issue is location. A patio is where people walk barefoot, kids play and dogs lie down.

What Helps

  • Relocate the active wasps. We move them away from patios and walkways without pouring poison into the joints or soil.
  • Refill and firm up joints. Once the season ends, refill open, sandy joints so there’s less loose sand to dig.
  • Cover nearby bare soil. UKY notes wood or stone mulch, shade or added irrigation can make them disperse and build elsewhere.
  • Don’t flood the holes with chemicals. OSU does not recommend insecticides for cicada killers.

Is It Really Cicada Killers?

Ants, ground bees and other digger wasps also push sand out of joints. Yellowjackets nest in the ground too, and they’re a very different risk. Watch the hole for a few minutes from a distance. One large wasp coming and going is typical of cicada killers. A steady stream of small wasps is a yellowjacket nest. See cicada killer vs. yellowjacket and ground bees vs. yellowjackets.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will they come back next year?

Often, because their young overwinter in the same soil. See do cicada killers come back?

Can I just sweep the piles away?

Yes. Sweeping won’t stop the digging, but it keeps the patio usable while you plan a fix.

Cicada Killers Digging Up Your Patio?

We relocate cicada killers instead of putting poison into the soil where people and pets walk. Call or text Northwest Ohio Wasp Removal at 419-614-6445, or use our contact page, and send a photo of the wasps or burrows if you can. See cicada killer relocation for how it works.

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Large wasp dragging a paralyzed cicada across the ground toward a burrow

Cicada Killer Life Cycle: From Burrow to Adult

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Most people see cicada killers for a few weeks in midsummer and then never think about them again. But the cicada killer life cycle runs all year, mostly underground in the same patch of soil. Knowing what’s happening down there explains why the wasps show up when they do and why they often return to the same yard.

The Cicada Killer Life Cycle Starts in Summer

University of Kentucky Entomology says males begin emerging in late June and July and stake out areas where females will appear. Once females emerge and mate, they dig tunnels in dry, sandy, loose soil. The digging leaves piles of soil near retaining walls, in turf and in landscape beds.

Timing follows the prey. OSU Buckeye Yard and Garden onLine notes cicada killers feed exclusively on annual cicadas and normally appear when the annual cicadas arrive. In Ohio, the most common annual cicada, the dog-day cicada, usually shows up starting in July.

Green and black annual cicada on tree bark, the prey at the center of the cicada killer life cycle
Cicada killers hunt only annual cicadas, the kind that sing in Ohio trees every summer.

Hunting and Stocking the Burrow

A female finds a cicada, stings it to paralyze it, and brings it back to her burrow. UKY explains that she builds multiple cells in each burrow, much like a mason bee. Once a cicada is placed in a cell, she lays an egg on it.

Egg and Larva

The egg hatches, and the larva feeds on the cicada its mother provided. UKY says larvae develop over about two weeks.

Winter Underground

After feeding, the larva pupates for the winter. UKY notes cicada killers overwinter as pupae in the tunnels their mothers built. That’s the longest stage of the cycle, from late summer through the following spring, all of it out of sight.

Emergence the Next Summer

The next summer, new adults dig their way out, males first. Females mate and start new burrows, often in the same sunny, loose soil. That’s why the same strip by the sidewalk can fill with holes year after year. See do cicada killers come back?

What the Cycle Means for Your Yard

  • Act in summer, change the soil any time. Relocation happens while adults are active. Mulch, shade or irrigation can be added later to make the spot less inviting, as UKY suggests.
  • Skip the poison. OSU does not recommend insecticides for cicada killers, and we don’t put poison in the soil.
  • Know the sexes. The bold ones hovering at you early in the season are males, which can’t sting. See male cicada killers.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many generations a year?

The cycle described by UKY is one generation a year: adults in summer, young underground through winter.

Do cicada killers eat periodical cicadas?

OSU notes they prey on annual cicadas, not periodical cicadas or other insects.

Are they related to other ground wasps?

Other solitary diggers look similar. See great black wasps and golden digger wasps and mud daubers and cicada killers.

Burrows Where You Don’t Want Them?

We relocate cicada killers instead of putting poison into the soil where people and pets walk. Call or text Northwest Ohio Wasp Removal at 419-614-6445, or use our contact page, and send a photo of the wasps or burrows if you can. See cicada killer relocation for how it works.

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Large wasp hovering low over a mowed lawn

Male Cicada Killer vs Female: Why the Ones Buzzing You Can’t Sting

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You step into the yard and a huge wasp zips up to eye level, hovers, and darts at you. Then another. It feels like an attack, but it’s almost always a male cicada killer, and males have no stinger. Here’s what’s going on and how to tell the sexes apart.

What a Male Cicada Killer Is Doing

University of Kentucky Entomology explains that males emerge before females and stake out areas where they expect females to appear. The big wasps hovering in the air are usually the first thing people notice. UKY says males will “inspect” people, hovering at eye level to size you up. OSU Extension ENT-0102 adds that males hover protectively near nests and even dive-bomb passersby, but they are incapable of stinging.

It’s territorial behavior, not hunting. A male has nothing to gain from stinging you, and he has no stinger to do it with. He’s checking whether you’re a rival or a mate.

Timing tells you a lot, too. UKY notes males begin emerging in late June and July and wait for females to arrive. So the early, bold fliers at the start of the season are especially likely to be males.

Large solitary wasp resting on a leaf, similar in size to a male cicada killer
Females are larger than males and do the digging and hunting.

Male vs Female Cicada Killer

  • Size. UKY says females range from about 1.5 to nearly 2 inches long, while males are up to about 1.5 inches.
  • Stinger. Females have a stinger, which they use to paralyze cicadas. UKY notes males have a non-stinging pseudostinger instead.
  • Behavior. Males hover, patrol and chase. Females spend their time digging burrows and flying cicadas back to them.
  • Look. Both have dark abdomens with light yellow markings and orange-tinged legs and wings, so behavior is the easier clue.

What About the Females?

OSU Buckeye Yard and Garden onLine says the females are not aggressive and stinging encounters are extremely rare. UKY notes cicada killers aren’t considered stinging hazards unless directly disturbed, such as being stepped on barefoot or grabbed. That’s why kids, pets and bare feet are the main reasons to move them. See cicada killers and dogs.

How to Handle the Dive-Bombing

  • Don’t swat. Swinging at a male won’t help, and grabbing at big wasps is how the rare sting from a female happens.
  • Walk through calmly. A male will usually break off once you’re past his patch.
  • Wear shoes on lawns and paths where burrows are active.
  • Change the spot. UKY notes mulch, shade or extra irrigation can make them nest elsewhere. See do cicada killers come back?

Frequently Asked Questions

Are males more common?

They’re more noticeable early in the season, because UKY notes they emerge first and patrol before the females arrive.

Is a male cicada killer a hornet?

No, though OSU notes they’re often mistaken for European hornets. See European hornets.

Do I need to do anything?

Often no. UKY says management is generally unnecessary. If burrows are by a door, patio or play area, relocation helps.

Big Wasps Patrolling Your Yard?

We relocate cicada killers instead of putting poison into the soil where people and pets walk. Call or text Northwest Ohio Wasp Removal at 419-614-6445, or use our contact page, and send a photo of the wasps or burrows if you can. See cicada killer relocation for how it works.

Sources

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