If you’ve walked near Patterson Park along Eastern Avenue recently, you’ve likely seen the buzzing insects flying close to the ground. Some appear to be at least 2 inches long. And they sure as hell look like stinging wasps or hornets.
But there’s no need to worry — unless you’re a cicada.
John LaPolla, a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Towson University, identified the insects by photos as Sphecius speciosus, more commonly known as cicada killers or cicada hawks.
They appear similar to European hornets or yellow jackets, but are larger.
LaPolla said the insects “lumber by looking sinister” but usually leave humans alone.
“They are harmless and will only sting if they are grabbed by someone and even then it’s unlikely,” he said in an email. “Now if you are a cicada watch out!”
Female cicada killers have a stinger, which may be used if they’re bothered or accidentally stepped on by a human, and male cicada killers do not have stingers at all, according to entomologists.
They seem to be most active in the park between the Pulaski monument and Kenwood Avenue on Monday morning.
The male bugs are likely competing for female mates who are digging burrows, LaPolla said. That part of Patterson Park “is probably just a good breeding area for them,” he said.
Cicada killers can disturb lawns or other areas with their burrowing, but their value to the food chain outweighs their pest behavior, according to the Smithsonian Institute.
