On Mon, 27 Oct 2003 23:40:39 GMT, Elliot Richmond
opined:


Yep, cicada killers, most likely Sphecius grandis. I did not want to
get technical. Cicada killers rarely dig in healthy turf. they prefer
well drained, loose, sandy soil. And they are completely harmless
except that they can sting but rarely do, unless you step on one or
try to catch one in your bare hand.

Elliot Richmond
Freelance Science Writer and Editor

The first spring in this house, we had an infestation of, oh I'd day, about 600
of them. They dug holes all over the place. I didn't have the heart to kill
them, but my husband did, one at a time with a tennis racket. The following
spring, we had about 100, last spring, about 50...so on. They dug holes in soil
which was amended with 12 yards of Revitilizer compost!

I had none in the turf.