My mom will kill me for telling you this, but don't kill a cicada killer wasp. I have always loved cicadas. It's really odd because I'm afraid of quite a few insects, but cicadas, an insect that most people find disgusting, are one of my favorite. We have a story in my family about my mom when she was a child and a cicada killer. My mom loved cicadas so much that she risked her life, so the story goes, by saving a cicada from instant death by plucking a cicada killer off it's back. This story has always led me to believe that cicadas should be saved at all cost. This summer my boyfriend and I bought our first house. We have found three cicada killer wasps in our screened in porch--each time my boyfriend has killed them. They are menacing looking creatures--a huge flying insect is one to be feared (unless it's a cicada, of course)! We weren't sure what kind of insect it was, so of course we Googled it. We found out how beneficial they are--it seems like all creatures are somewhat beneficial--right? The cicada killer wasp performs a biological control on cicadas, which can wreak havoc on deciduous trees. No matter how much I love cicadas, I love deciduous trees more. I don't know what we'll do next time this huge wasp decides to get caught up in our screen, but since our house is being unusually bombarded by cicadas--we will probably opt for a gentler approach. Gawd Speed!
No comments:
Post a Comment