Great Black Wasps

In the late summer these very large, black wasps with wings that shimmer blue in the sunlight, begin to appear. They are Great Black Wasps. They are part of a group referred to as thread-waisted wasps because of the narrow constriction between abdomen and thorax. There is little to fear from them. They are solitary, with no nest to defend. The female will dig a hole (thus, they are also called Digger Wasps), she will then drop a freshly killed grasshopper or katydid into the hole, lay an egg, top off with 2 more tasty morsels, cover, and leave. These wasps are important in insect control.