CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Summertime means seeing more insects, especially bees. But sometimes you'll see something that just doesn't look right.
A WCNC Charlotte viewer sent a picture on the social media app X, formerly known as Twitter, asking if it was a giant hornet that isn't native to North Carolina, or the United States, for that matter. The viewer said they measured the wasp, and it was larger than the typical insects in the Kannapolis area and wondered if it was a Asian giant hornet, and if so, why it was in the Carolinas.
THE QUESTION
Is this an Asian Giant Hornet that's not native to North America?
OUR SOURCES
THE ANSWER
No, this is not a giant hornet from outside of the United States. Experts identify this as a cicada killer wasp, which is native to our area.
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WHAT WE FOUND
"It appears to be a cicada hawk," D'Amelio said. "Those are native large wasps that are predators of cicadas."
Both NC State professors agree. In an email, they said this is a cicada killer wasp, which is very common in this area.
"Just based on the size and patterning, they are very large wasps, and they have some pretty distinctive patterning, especially on their abdomen," D'Amelio said.
Despite a dangerous appearance, they typically aren't a threat to humans.
"They do look scary because of their size, but they are very reluctant to sting people," D'Amelio said. "So you have to be really aggressive toward them to have them sting you at all."
D'Amelio said the larvae of this species will eat cicadas while the adults drink nectar and tree sap.
Contact Meghan Bragg at mbragg@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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