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Great Golden Digger Wasp

Summary: The Great Golden Digger wasp is fearsome looking, but they rarely sting. They are great insect hunters and very beneficial for gardens, so they should not be controlled or killed.

Jill R, St. Croix, Canada asks: I have large wasps in my garden and want to know how to get rid of them.

Dear Jill: The answer to this question is you don't want to get rid of these wasps. They may scare you because of their size and because they are very curious about people and pets, dive bombing about. But, regardless of how fierce they look they rarely sting. Don't swat at them. Leave them alone and they will leave you alone, too.

These are Great Golden Digger wasps which are commonly found throughout north America. They lay their eggs in burrows and are often

seen flying low across lawns searching for insect prey. They are doing their part to eliminate insects that otherwise would do damage to the very garden you wish to rid of these “pests”.

My advice would be to take a deep breath and learn to live with these wasps. Not only are they protecting your garden, they are pollinators, as well. Now, if this is not possible, you can always treat every hole you discover with Tempo 1% dust. This will kill off adult wasps as they come and go from the nesting hole.

Comments

Nora
31 Jul 2008, 07:59

I have these wasp looking things that are boarings holes in the sand around our pool. They look bigger ten the normal wasp. and they fly over theses holes real low. I don't know what they are and if they will sting us.

Lou Castellano
03 Aug 2008, 21:18

Captured a Great Golden in my North Babylon, NY lawn 08/03/08 by slipping a small jar over it while it had started to dig. This was surprising to me because I remember as a child that these insects were traditionally etremely wary of large animals. I remember being watched intently by one of these at its burrow as I was a 9 year old (in 1964) observing its behavior. A wasp this size and this cognizant was quite imtimidating to a 9 year old. I gave it very wide berth then.

I took the jar across the street into a small wooded area, gingerly removed the cap and headed for the hills. She eventually found her way out and I suspect found a more appropriate place for a burrow. I didn't want to kill it or its larvae but I didn't want this burrow in my lawn either.

This one was huge, I'm sure 3".

Lou

Annie
30 Jul 2009, 23:29

I like seeing that some folks take care not to harm insects that are beneficial or not a threat. So many seem to kill first, ask questions later or not at all it's no wonder our crops lack pollinators. The Great Golden is a truly impressive insect, and with a face big enough to really notice. As a child I was a "bug-watcher", and hope more parents will encourage interest (and caution) rather than fear in their children.

Jim tucker
18 Aug 2009, 09:08

I have digger wasps digging away in my back yard in Florida. I spray the nests with insecticide then the next day the wasps are digging in another part of the yard. Wasp spray seems to make them angry but has no affect other then that. What damages do these insects cause to our lawns besides the mounds of sand and dirt and what insecticide should I use.

Jim

Jackie
27 Aug 2009, 14:02

Would this type wasp excavate through grout (for cement steps)? We saw something big flying around our front cement steps a few days ago, and now we have excavated grout there where it was flying into and out of.

Tom
24 Apr 2010, 07:33

We saw a black insect with a orange pointed back yesterday and wondering what the heck it is! Note: this was in the UK and was in our living room!

Garrett McCarey
17 Jul 2010, 19:50

I noticed one wasp last year on our walkway in Cape Cod, which is very sandy, and this year there are at least four distinct nests. They look intimidating and we have to walk over their nests but so far we're OK. I think if there are a dozen nests next year I may have to do somethings about it so the grandkids don't get stung. Maybe in the off season I could spray something on the soil to discourage them.

Alison
03 Aug 2010, 20:39

How can I get them to stop burrowing in my lawn.
New Jersey

Ask the Exterminator
04 Aug 2010, 07:06

You need to treat the existing burrows with pesticide dust. That will reduce the population and kill the new hatch in the spring.

Em-u-Lah
13 Sep 2010, 20:55

I wish I could learn to live with wasps... Like I do with beetles, or butterflies. Or grasshoppers. And everyone seems to be going on about how "harmless" they are.
NOOOOOO.
They have VERY harmful stingers. HARMFUL HARMFUL HARMFUL.
THEY ARE FULL OF HARM.

Karen P.
09 Jul 2011, 09:59

As a biologist, I can agree 100% with the exterminator on this one. Diggers are solitary wasps, as is the "3 inch digger" mentioned above, which was likely a Cicada Killer. Solitary wasps have to queen or storehouse/hive to defend. They are very very unlikely to sting! I've lived with at LEAST 7 species of wasps.. both solitary and colonial...in my yard over the years, and have NEVER.. I repeat... NEVER been stung by "MY" wasps. Even the Yellow-jackets learned to chill out when I came by. The wasps kept my veggie garden free of pests, enabling me to have an organic garden for 15 years! Thank you wasps. Give 'em a chance to prove their value to you. Learn about what you most fear, and the fear will disappear, replaced with appreciation..or maybe, dare I say it? Admiration?

Karen P.
09 Jul 2011, 10:03

OOps... edit above... "Solitary wasps have NO queen or storehouse to defend." Sorry. Typo! :/

Rebecca Smith
10 Jul 2011, 17:26

I'm not usually one to hate wasps or bees as I firmly believe they're an asset to my yard, however, I can't even walk around my yard barefoot anymore.. they fly so low and are so passive, it's easy to miss one. I just accidently stepped on one and those damn things hurt! My whole toe is throbbing!

Donna Legere
17 Jul 2011, 09:44

These insects have recently shown up in my riding ring. While you seem to say they are a benefical insect, my horse thinks otherwise. I really need them to leave or I can't ride. What do I do?

Ask the Exterminator
18 Jul 2011, 11:31

These wasps like bare areas void of grass or weeds. Your riding ring is perfect for their nests. Once you notice the adult wasp it is probably too late to prevent next year's hatch. You will have to apply a pesticide dust into each and every hole, leaving the hole open to allow the wasp to come and go and become exposed to the dust. I recommend a dust called Tempo 1%, available on this website.

Sarah C
19 Jul 2011, 15:12

We have these digging inbetween the bricks in the steps to our pool. As avid gardeners, we are happy to have any critters that may help! However, as it gets hotter and we are more frequent users of the pool the chances of stepping on one are getting greater. Any suggestions on how to encourage them to move elsewhere?

If they could get rid of the woodchucks we might actually be inclined to keep them!

Ask the Exterminator
19 Jul 2011, 15:36

Fill a 32 oz spray bottle with water. Add a few drops of liquid dish soap and 2 tbsp liquid cayenne or hot pepper to the bottle. Shake the bottle to combine the ingredients and spray on surface areas to repel wasps.

cayna
31 Jul 2011, 17:36

Thanks Exterminator. I had two digger wasp holes in my paver walkway a few years back . . . now I have at least 25! I'd love to leave them be, but they're making a real mess of my walkway. I'd rather repel them in the first place than kill them.

bill
05 Aug 2011, 19:39

I have these insects boring holes in front steps where there is sand, could you tell me how to get rid of them. Thanks

Ask the Exterminator
07 Aug 2011, 08:02

Post your question by clicking on the "Ask the Exterminator a Question" button at top of this page and I'll reply.

Scot
11 Aug 2011, 10:52

I just found a huge insect burrowing in the crack between slabs of my driveway. It doesn't look like the golden digger wasp pictured above. I looks more bee-like in it's color, but I'm not sure what it was. any way I can upload a picture?

Ask the Exterminator
12 Aug 2011, 16:41

Sounds more like a cicada killer.

Ryan
24 Aug 2011, 17:09

man, now i feel bad for closing the holes up and pouring poison down em. :( hopefully they stick around. i just started gardening this year!

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Great Golden Digger Wasp

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