# Great golden digger wasp (Sphex ichneumoneus) > A large, solitary, orange-black digger wasp that hunts katydids and crickets to provision underground nests; not aggressive but can sting if handled or trapped. Source: https://insectscanner.com/species/great-golden-digger-wasp/ (updated 2026-10-10) ## Is it dangerous? **Painful sting.** Females can sting if handled, trapped against skin, or accidentally pinched. Stings are usually painful but not medically dangerous for most people. Basic first aid: wash the area with soap and water, apply a cold pack to reduce swelling, and use an oral antihistamine or topical steroid for itching if needed. If there are signs of a severe allergic reaction (difficulty breathing, swelling of the face or throat, dizziness), use an epinephrine auto-injector if available and call emergency services. **Pets:** Not a typical threat to pets unless a curious dog or cat tries to catch or bite a wasp and receives one or more stings. Multiple stings or allergic reactions in pets require veterinary attention. ## Quick facts - Scientific name: Sphex ichneumoneus - Also called: Golden digger wasp - Order: Hymenoptera (Wasps, bees and ants) - Family: Sphecidae (Thread-waisted wasps) - Size: 15-25 mm body length - Colours: Orange, Black, Dark brown (wings/translucent) - Habitat: Open, sunny areas with patches of bare or sandy soil: fields, road edges, sand dunes, lawns, gardens and gravelly banks. - Range: Widespread in eastern and central North America; also reported across much of the continent where suitable habitat exists. - Active: Late spring through summer (regional peak varies). Active during daylight, especially warm sunny hours. - Lifespan: Adults live for a few weeks to a couple of months during the active season; the species is univoltine in many areas (one generation per year). - Effect on plants: Pollinator - Pest: no ## Overview Sphex ichneumoneus is a solitary ground-nesting wasp found across much of North America. Females dig burrows in bare, sandy or loose soil and provision each nest cell with one or more paralysed orthopteran prey (usually katydids and large crickets) as food for a single larva. Adults feed on nectar and are commonly seen visiting flowers. They are not social and do not form colonies; each female works alone to construct and provision nests. ## How to identify it Adults are relatively large wasps with a slender, thread-like 'waist' between thorax and abdomen typical of their family. The head and thorax are black and covered with fine golden hairs; the legs and the front part of the abdomen are reddish-orange, while the rear of the abdomen is shiny black. Wings are amber-tinted. Males are similar but often slightly smaller. - Large orange and black wasp with a narrow, thread-like waist and long legs. - Bright orange thorax and anterior abdomen contrasted with a darker posterior abdomen and legs. - Solitary behaviour: females digging burrows in bare sandy soil and carrying crickets or katydids. - Visit to open flowers for nectar during warm daylight hours. ## Lookalikes - **Black and yellow mud dauber** (Sceliphron caementarium): Similar thread-waisted shape, but black with yellow markings and yellow legs rather than orange and black; builds visible mud nests on walls instead of digging burrows. - **Great black wasp** (Sphex pensylvanicus): Close relative of similar size and shape, but entirely black with bluish wings and no orange; both dig burrows and hunt katydids. ## Life cycle - **Egg:** Female lays a single egg in each nest cell on top of immobilized prey. The egg hatches in a few days. - **Larva (grub):** The larva feeds on the stored, paralyzed cricket or katydid until it completes development. - **Pupa:** After consuming the provisions the larva spins a cocoon in the sealed cell, overwinters there as a mature larva in many regions, and pupates before emerging as an adult. - **Adult wasp:** Adults emerge, feed on nectar, mate, and females construct and provision new burrows. ## Diet and predators - Young eat: Carnivorous: they eat the paralyzed orthopteran prey (katydids, large crickets) provided by the mother. - Adults eat: Nectar and sometimes honeydew or plant sap. - Predators of the young: Parasitoid wasps and flies, nest predators such as ants and some beetles that raid burrows. - Predators of adults: Birds, robber flies, dragonflies, and larger predatory insects. ## Effect on plants and gardens Adults visit a variety of flowering plants for nectar and can act as incidental pollinators. Larvae feed exclusively on paralyzed orthopteran prey and do not eat plants. ## Where and when to find it Look for adults on open flowers and for females near bare or sandy soil where they dig burrows; check edges of paths, lawns, sand pits and gravelly banks. Watch for wasps carrying crickets to their burrows. - Best time: Late spring through summer during warm, sunny daytime hours. - Tips: Observe from a distance to avoid disturbing a female at her nest. Use a telephoto lens or binoculars to see prey-carrying behaviour; look for small piles of excavated soil near burrow entrances. ## Fun facts - Females follow a remarkable routine: they paralyze prey, drag it to the nest entrance, leave it outside while they enter to inspect the burrow, then drag the prey inside and lay an egg. - Although often called 'digger' wasps, they are solitary and not aggressive like social yellowjackets. - Naturalists such as Jean-Henri Fabre were fascinated by the rigid, 'instinctive' sequences of behaviour shown by Sphex wasps; these wasps feature in classic discussions about instinct versus learning. ## Frequently asked questions ### Are great golden digger wasps dangerous? Only mildly. They are not aggressive toward people but females can sting if handled or trapped. Stings are painful but not usually dangerous unless you are allergic. ### Do great golden digger wasps sting? Yes — females have a functional sting used to paralyze prey. They rarely sting unless provoked or caught. ### Why is one digging in my yard? Females dig burrows to make nest cells where they store paralyzed katydids or crickets as food for their larvae; bare, sandy patches are preferred nest sites. ### How can I get rid of them? Nonlethal options: make nesting sites less attractive by mulching or covering bare soil, reduce nearby prey habitat (tall grass), and seal cracks around foundations. If wasps are numerous or in an inconvenient spot, contact pest control professionals; do not attempt to destroy nests by hand—stings can result. ### Are they beneficial or pests? Beneficial: they help control populations of large orthopteran insects and pollinate flowers. They are not a structural or agricultural pest. --- More about this species: [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/85362), [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphex_ichneumoneus). Identify insects and spiders from a photo with the Insect Scanner iPhone app: https://apps.apple.com/app/id1543946563?pt=126685406&ct=web-markdown&mt=8 Identification from photos is never certain: don't handle insects you can't identify, and get medical advice for bites, stings or allergic reactions.