It attacked the grasshopper! What is it?

[jinman]

Dieselsmoke, I don't believe Don's wasp is a Cicada Killer. The Cicada Killer is a much bigger (up to 2" long) wasp/hornet with yellow spots or bands on it's abdomen. Don's wasp looks much smaller at around 3/4" to 1" long. I think it's a Florida Hunting Wasp. My Nat'l Audubon book of insects and the attached link both show this wasp to be blue-black with a large reddish/brown abdomen. The picture in the link makes the wasp look much heavier than the picture in the Audubon book. Anyhow, here are two links with pictures for comparison.

Cicada Killer


Florida Hunting Wasp (Palmodes dimidiatus)

The Florida Hunting Wasp shown in this picture is from Michigan, but they range all over North America except in the northwest.

 

[dieselsmoke1]

Yep, you're right. I forgot exactly the color of a cicada killer till I killed one this morning.