How to Get Rid of Cicada Killers (4 Easy Steps)

In this video, we’ll show you how to identify and get rid of cicada killer wasps on your property.

Shop for Sylo Insecticide here!

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Introduction: 0:00
How to Identify Cicada Killers: 0:35
How to Inspect for Cicada Killers: 1:47
How to Treat for Cicada Killers: 2:23
How to Prevent Cicada Killers: 3:57

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Cicada Killers are large wasps, and are often confused for the European Hornet due to their size. However, Cicada Killers are slightly larger than the European hornet and have distinct visual differences. Cicada Killers can grow to be around 1.5 to 2 inches in length. While the European Hornet has bright orange, yellow, and brown body markings, Cicada Killers feature black and yellow more prominently. Cicada Killers also have large compound eyes, orange-tinted wings, and females will possess stingers. The name “Cicada Killer” comes from the species’ tendency to hunt cicadas and feed them to their young.

To confirm Cicada Killer activity on your property, inspect your lawn for any burrows. Adult Cicada Killers are active during the summer, when cicadas are active. Cicada Killers prefer patchy lawns with dry soil. You can also look underneath shrubbery or in garden beds. Remember, burrow entrances will look like small holes surrounded by dirt. It’s important to note the location of every burrow you find, since you’ll need to treat the nest directly to get rid of your Cicada Killer problem.

After identifying your pest and inspecting for activity on your property, it’s time to start treatment.
Before starting any treatment, be sure to wear your personal protective equipment, or PPE, and remember to keep all people and pets off the treated areas until dry. When dealing with stinging pests like wasps, always use caution and keep yourself protected. Even though Cicada Killers are pretty docile, it is still best that you cover up as much exposed skin as possible with a professional bee suit to prevent stings.

To treat Cicada Killers on your property, use a Cypermethrin product like Sylo Insecticide. Sylo Insecticide is a powerful insecticide concentrate that will need to be mixed with water before application. Sylo is extremely effective against wasps, and many insect pests found around the home or yard and will remain effective for up to 90 days. To get rid of cicada killer wasps with Sylo, you will need to treat the nest with a 0.25% emulsion. To do this, mix a ratio of 1.3 fluid ounces of Sylo with one gallon of water. We recommend you use a hand pump sprayer since you’ll be making targeted treatments to any burrows and their entrances.

Cicada Killers prefer to dig in exposed patches of soil. To discourage Cicada Killers from establishing their burrows in your lawn, you’ll want to conduct proper lawn maintenance to make sure your grass grows thick and make it tougher for these wasps to dig through. Water your lawn deeply once a week with 1-1.5 inches of water, and mow your grass to a tall height, about 3 to 4 inches. This will not only ensure an improved look for your lawn, but it will also strengthen your grass’s roots and make it more difficult for any pest to dig through. You can also discourage Cicada Killers from digging in garden beds by adding a thick layer of mulch.

Visit our website to learn more about cicada killers and shop for pro-grade products!

Thanks for watching!

#diypestcontrol #solutionspestandlawn #cicadakillers

[pugman]

After dealing with these critters for three years I believe I have a system that works.We have lived on this property for over forty years and three years ago my lawn was destroyed by these things ! Last year I aggressively went after these wasps, because they say they will return to the area where they were born. As soon as I see a nest with the dirt pile in one direction and the nest hole is 180* from the dirt. At dusk I go to the nest and spray common brake cleaner into the nest hole. All auto parts stores sell brake cleaner. You should hear a buzzing noise and then spray 15 seconds worth of brake cleaner into the nest. That kills the wasp ! push the dirt over the nest hole and step on the dirt mound. This season I only found two nests and I destroyed them.I

[robertjohnson]

My parents had a problem with these nesting in the cracks of their driveway for a couple years.

My dad tried all different types of insecticide to no avail.

I came up with the idea to fill the cracks with diatomaceous earth (the non-toxic "pool sand")

They were gone immediately.

Insects hate the stuff... people say its like sharp glass to the insects... or that it dries them out... but whatever the real reason is... it completely worked.

[Cr]

It’s best to just leave them alone if you have any trees that you care to keep. I had them for years around my pool deck and we learned to cohabitate. They’re not interested in hurting humans. When my kids were born they became more of a nuisance. Kids and new guests were terrified of them, so after a lot of nagging from my wife, I eliminated them over the course of 3 summers. I tried different things to get rid of them but nothing worked. A tennis racket ended up being the undoing of them. I’d go out every day and smack as many as I could and the population slowly dwindled. After 3 summers of doing that the following summer they were gone. It’s funny, I never once got stung from endlessly swatting at those thugs. Try saying that about bees. After 5 years a lot of the trees in the area began dying. I wiped out part of the natural eco system of the area. Those Cicada killers were here long before I came around, so I should have left them alone

[ponchovia]

I get them every year, they like it under my deck, there fun to watch when they are trying to squeeze the cicada between the deck boards, actually feel bad for them and help push the cicada thru the deck for them lol

[mgarcia]

Would a cicada cover up its burrow? I clearly saw a small hole in my yard earlier in the day, with the wasp coming in and out of it. I researched what to do about it tonight, opting for boiling water and dish detergent. However, when I came back out a few hours later, the hole was nowhere to be found. What happened to it?? A pest control guy just came out a few days ago to treat/kill a small yellowjacket nest in my front yard. These are definitely much larger and mostly orangish-brown.

[evericosuave]

They came last summer. I thought i killed them all as they disappeared after i applied store brand insecticide. Little to my suprise this summer its hundreds of them zooming around in the back yard. They are very intimidating but I haven't been stung. I am going to try the bottle method and the dish soap and water method to see if I can rid myself of these things.

[mhrt]

I've had a problem with these things for several years. Last summer, my back yard looked like a minefield. I typically ignore them, and they don't bother me. But I came home from vacation yesterday, and this morning I went outside to drink my coffee... these things were flying EVERYWHERE! I couldnt even go down the back steps to my yard. There were literally dozens of these things flying around, and they were rapidly chasing the others around/away. No more "live, and let live"... these things have to go! Thanks for the video and advice.

[motaz]

ya just what i want to do is pump chemicals into the water table, especially those with well water. the grass advice is good though.

[odayroky]

At the local playground where I grew up, there were like 20 of these things each summer flying around and going in and out of the ground. We just played around them jumping and running by the boroughs and never thought anything of it. Looking back, those sons of buck's would have tore us up if they wanted to, but they respected personal space and seemed pretty docile unlike paper wasps and yellow jackets.

[ache]

Around five years ago we had a nest of very aggressive yellow jackets inside the frame of a, not in use, exterior door of our house. We tried more than six cans of wasp spray but they were too many and it didn'twork. Then we tried different methods from the internet and we found out that the best is to spray a diluted solution of Dawn dishwashing detergent. Now instead of using expensive harmful chemicals, we just prepare a spray bottle with diluted Dawn.

[Joel-oudk]

I see the dirt mounds but no holes? Do the Cicada Killers cover up their holes at the end of day?

[paulmazzaro]

Thanks for your video, very well said, I have had these guys digging up my drive way for the last 5 years, I have gotten how to take care of the nests and kill when they arrive, but they keep coming back every year and are actually causing my drive way to crack and sink, your advice on prevention is for landscaping and lawns, any thoughts on the driveway?

[hollyflowerart]

He just wanted to eat his cicada lunch, then he got sucked in to a half filled bottle 😂

[KateConvissor]

They are harmless to humans. They are part of the natural cycle. They're fascinating. Why expose yourself, other insects, and your surrounding to pesticides, brake oil, and all the other shit listed here?

[denicemarie]

I got about 30 of these last year and was using some mixture of water and pesticide nearly impossible to get rid of them. We were flooding their burrows, destroying them and they keep coming back.

[bretsonenstein]

There's a 45% slope on the edge of the lawn with 3 of these nests in the sloped area, and I identified the wasp by it's markings. If we ignore them, will they multiply next year and dig up the rest of the lawn? And what happens if you mow over them?

[friendlyneighborhoodplagueDR]

Leave cicada killers alone. Theyre gentle giants..The male has no stinger and the female won't interact with people. We have a male who's been patrolling our porch. He's a nice little guy.

[venomlords]

It sounds like hosing down the nest in the evening and “mudding” over the hole seems to be the simplest solution, no?

[sundaywhiterabbit]

For those who want Cicadas to kill their trees, here is how to kill the insect that kills them. So your trees can die with little cicada holes in them because it's super cool now. I mean we water grass and cut it all the time. Makes complete sense.

[VairesSunchaser]

Huh. These things were my saviors through middle and high school. The neighborhood had a lot of people who would leave insane yellowjacket and wasp nests to the degree of being harassed by at least 4 little ones between the car and my front door. Then these living nightmares showed up and shrugged off entire cans of raid, actively divebombing my family.

Finally realized that the issue with smaller wasps basically disappeared and figured out what the hell these were and what they were doing. The males would sometimes bump into me but honestly? They saved my life and sanity keeping everything else away between wasps, religious/political solicitors, strays and humans peeing on everything, and neighborhood children who think yanking an entire row of flowers out of a garden to hit eachother with is funny.

We only had a small garden for flowers and bushes, though. I totally understand people who get wholesale invaded by these landmine builders and need to get them the heck out.