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orange black insect (Cicada killer wasp)

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Cicada killer wasp
by: Moni

Bruce
It is kind of hard to tell by the photo, but with your description about the size, my guess is that it is a cicada killer wasp.
They are very large wasps, that dig holes in loose soil or sandy areas where they make nests for their young. The wasp catches and stings cicadas and then put them in the nest with an egg, so when the larva hatches it can feed on the cicada. The sting from the wasp paralyzes the cicada, so the young have "live" food.

So they are a beneficial wasp. They are not known to sting unless really disturbed...and it is the males that might sting before the females.

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