CLOSED: Deadly looking beauty

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VooDooU Yankton, SD Jul 10, 2017

Found this huge one and two smaller ones on my dill. Will add pics soon, phone acting up.

Post #10309187
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VooDooU Yankton, SD Jul 10, 2017

Wow that in flight pic is pretty cool, didn't know I got that.

Thumbnail by VooDooU Thumbnail by VooDooU Thumbnail by VooDooU
Post #10309188
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Flapdoodle Minot, ND Jul 10, 2017

This is a wasp in the family Crabronidae known as a cicada killer - they are not aggressive towards humans, and you would have to try really, really hard to get stung by one - see https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/ef004

Post #10309197
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VooDooU Yankton, SD Jul 10, 2017

Interesting, do you know why they would be so interested in the Dill? I saw at least 4 different ones on the dill flowers in a short span of time.

Post #10309204
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Flapdoodle Minot, ND Jul 11, 2017

About the only thing that comes to mind is that the male wasps are pollen feeders, and if the dill was in bloom and other flowers were in short supply...

Post #10309320
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VooDooU Yankton, SD Jul 11, 2017

Quote from Flapdoodle :
About the only thing that comes to mind is that the male wasps are pollen feeders, and if the dill was in bloom and other flowers were in short supply...

well I have honeysuckle, sweet pea, echinecea, milkweed and a few roses in bloom besides the dill lol... maybe they like it! but perhaps they are the males, the cicadas are emerging... do you think the females switch to pollen then?

Post #10309342
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Flapdoodle Minot, ND Jul 11, 2017

Both sexes will feed on nectar, but dill would not seem to be a good source for that! It appears that you may have a minor mystery on your hands...

Post #10309363
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