Wasps
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.