Sand Wasps (Bembix)

Sand Wasps (Bembix)

Not to worry.  They’re all buzz, no sting.

With a gestation period of about six weeks, sand wasps swoop in to say hello every summer when the females dig nests in sandy ground.  If you see these insects, think friend not foe.  Sand wasps prey on house fliers, deer flies, and mosquitoes.  Adults also feed on flower nectar, pollinating plants in the process.  They are unaggressive, solitary insects, and among the many wasp species that almost never sting humans.  Males are not equipped to sting.  Females can sting if crushed, say by stepping on them with bare feet.

Given the six-week gestation period, their visits are short lived.  By the time you see them, it’s almost time for them to buzz off.

Return to Parks and Facilities