Cicada Killer Program
A pest control company you can rely on.
Inspect
We conduct a free, zero obligation home inspection. We will identify the source of your pest problem.
Plan
We put together a plan that best fits your home in order to eliminate and protect against pests.
Eliminate
We eliminate your pest problem. Then, our exclussion work and monitoring system prevents them from returning inside your home.
What we Do
Cicada Killer Control in Massachusetts
Call Sutton Hill Services today for wasp control in Massachusetts so you can rest assured the integrity of your home will be safe.
How To Identify A Cicada Killer Infestation
Cicada killer wasps (the genus Sphecius) are large, solitary, ground dwelling, predatory wasps. They are so named because they hunt cicadas and provision their nests with them, after stinging and paralyzing them.
Cicada killers are large, ominous looking wasps that evoke a good deal of fear among people. They look like a giant hornet or huge yellow-jacket and are somewhat aggressive. However, the cicada killer is a solitary wasp, not a social wasp, and as such is not likely to sting unless directly handled. Most of the wasps seen are males that patrol the nesting area. They may fly about people, dive bomb, or even hover in front of faces, but because they are males they cannot sting. Females do not defend their burrows, and will sting only if mishandled.
Why You Might Have Wasps
Cicada killer wasps may nest in aggregations (several nests in the same area) but do not live together socially as do social bees and wasps. Such aggregations may contain from a few to a hundred or so individual burrows, and may persist for several years in the same location.
Normally, female cicada killers dig a burrow in well drained, light textured soil, in an area with full sunlight. The 1 1/2 inch diameter opening leads into an oblique tunnel that runs for 12-18 inches and reaches a depth of 6-10 inches. The female cicada killer forms four to five cells off of the main tunnel which she uses for a nursery. Sometimes secondary tunnels are built off the primary tunnel, allowing a female to rear up to 16 larvae in a burrow.
After digging the tunnel, the female wasp locates a cicada in a tree or bush and then inflicts a very precise, paralyzing sting before dragging it to the entrance of its burrow. The cicada is not dead but merely immobilized – sometimes continuing its incessant buzzing even while being dragged to the hole. The cicada killer wasp is amazing, not only for being able to detect and paralyze its prey, but also because of its ability to fly carrying a cicada that is proportionally equal to or heavier than the wasp itself. This is an amazing aeronautical feat.
Equally interesting is the reproductive behavior of the Cicada killer. After stuffing the cicada into a small nursery cell, the wasp lays an egg, then seals off the chamber. The egg hatches in 2-3 days, then the larva burrows into the cicada carcass and begins the slow process of devouring the immobilized, but still-living cicada from the inside out. They overwinter in their cells, emerging the next July as adults. Between mating (shortly after emergence) and mid August, new adults dig soil burrows, stock them with cicadas, and the cycle is repeated. Adults die by mid September.
A large nesting aggregation sometimes results in unsightly mounds of soil that are the remains of the tunnel excavation. Otherwise, cicada killers do very little damage.
Reasons To Treat Your Wasp Problem Immediately
Control of cicada killers is safely and effectively done by placing a small amount of 5% carbaryl (Sevin) dust down into the soil tunnel entrance. For a large nesting aggregation, the area can be sprayed. In both cases, the tunnel entrances should be left open to encourage the wasp into the treated area.
Cicada Killer removal should only be handled by a trained, wasp removal professional.
Contact or Call us at (508) 254-3411.
Specialized Programs
Home Prevention Program
There are many kinds of pests, and you can be affected any time of year. That’s why Sutton Hill Services offers a Home Protection Plan – so your home can be protected at all times regardless of the season or the pest.
Ant Program
Getting rid of carpenter ants ensures that your home will stay safe from their burrows. Professional carpenter ant control is the most effective way to kill carpenter ants and stop their colonization in its tracks.
Bee Program
Bees can sting and will swarm when disturbed. Even one sting can be enough to send a person with an allergy into anaphylactic shock.
Mouse Program
First and foremost, mice can reproduce quickly. Just having two mice living within the walls of your home can spawn 40 offspring in a year. Now multiply that by each new offspring, and you will have a massive headache.
Ant & Bee Program
Carpenter ants tend to be a nuisance, and an untreated colony can pose a threat to the stability of your residence. Bees can sting and will swarm when disturbed. Even one sting can be enough to send a person with an allergy into anaphylactic shock.
Our Guarantee
Sutton Hill Services guarantees its treatment plan. If for whatever reason you have any new pest problems or other covered pests, we will treat at your convenience and at no additional cost to you.
The barriers we put in place to protect your home and family against pests will naturally break down over time. This is why over the course of the year we will regularly reapply treatments as well as re-inspect for new conditions, avenues and sources of pests to ensure your home is protected.
Your home is your largest investment. Let Sutton Hill Services protect it against pests!