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Bev Wigney | all galleries >> Wasp, Hornets & Sawflies > Great Black Wasp -- Sphex pennsylvanicus
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Great Black Wasp -- <i>Sphex pennsylvanicus</i>
21-September-2004

Great Black Wasp -- Sphex pennsylvanicus

in the Spider Garden at the Farm. This wasp was *huge*.
I hate to exaggerate, but it was immense -- maybe a total body length
of around 6 cm or thereabouts. It was so large that I could see it from some
distance rustling around through the foliage of some asters. I thought I
was seeing a group of 2 or 3 bumblebees. I'm never usually nervous
photographing wasps or bees, but this insect was so large and also
very watchful and would raise its wings whenever I got my camera
in too close, so I felt somewhat intimidated. Also, I had to shoot a lot
of photos to get anything much good as it never stopped moving around
for even a few seconds. Very fascinating insect.


other sizes: small medium large original
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Dc 28-Jun-2009 21:16
I am in Bolton Ontario and have encountered the Great black Wasp. (I Think) There are about 30 in my gazebo and I am unsure of how to get rid of them. Help???
Randi Hites 25-Jun-2009 04:27
i live in durand michigan, my family and i saw 1 last year and we didnt think anything of it but this year was so bad. in the past 3 days we have had 5 inside our house. we had no idea what they were until today. we do know that they are more curious then anything but when they are attacted they are very aggressive. my husband was trying to get one that was trapped in the bathroom and got dive bombed so many times,he didnt get stung.
Abby 24-Jun-2009 14:15
In our Garage there are normal wasp hornet things flying around and they have this like circle cmob (but not the normal bee comb) and well my dad wants to kill em'. So like yeah. Anyways there are like huge black bee's flying around and stuff. There nasty and look mean. I think they might be the Great Black Wasp but yet again I live in Wisconsin. Do they live in Wisconsin? -Cataract, Wisconsin THANKS!
Lisa 24-Jun-2009 02:38
Just found one of these this afternoon, exploring my kitchen in Westminster, CO. I've never seen them before, born and raised in CO, but I caught it and threw it outside - the wings shimmered blue/black. Very pretty, but after reading all of the comments posted here I wish I'd smashed it!
Donnie 18-Jun-2009 16:53
I meant to add that the ranch is in south east texas.
Donnie 18-Jun-2009 15:35
I meant to add that the ranch is in south east texas.
Donnie 18-Jun-2009 15:34
Yesterday evening I was taking clothes out the washing machine (washer and dryer are outside at the ranch) and there was a nest in between the drum and the skin of the washer and one popped me on the knuckle and my hand swole up like a hamburger bun. The pain is still with me after 12 hours since the sting.
Pam McCoy 13-Jun-2009 18:12
We live in Las Vegas, Nevada and started seeing these insects last year (2008). They start coming around in May. We have large rocks in our landscaping and they hunt for food there. Wolf spiders that live in the rocks seem to be a favorite for them. They are very aggressive and will chase you. And as someone said before, what makes them so eerie is that they are very aware of humans and don't seem to be afraid of us. This year we started seeing baby black wasps so we fear there is a nest close.
chad 11-Jun-2009 01:28
Alright so me and my friend were on this abandoned boat and we were just walking around and i think this is the wasp that stung me on my eye.. The pain was so horrible.. the wasp was huge
guest 14-May-2009 13:49
okay I'm cleaning out my flower bed These huge wasps come out and start flying around my head making stinging motions I got scared and went to finished then went inside to look it up I saw some last saturday They seem to have mest up with the nest though There were Three that were bugging me I know it has to be the Great black wasp
guest 14-May-2009 13:45
okay so my dad told me to clean out the flower bed (I'm 11 and suspended) These huge wasps come out and start flying around my head making stinging motions I got scared and went to tell my mom then finished then looked t up I saw some last saturday They seem to have mest up with the nest though There were Three that were bugging me I know it has to be the Great black wasp
Kayla 18-Jan-2009 07:54
I live in New Zealand and we have a black wasp that is bringing in lavae eggs and nesting them in our sorround sound speaker, It blocks up the holes with crusty honey coloured stuff. The other day i cleaned out all the holes and out came HUGE spiders with lavae egss drowned in brown goop! It was disgusting!! The annoying thing is, is that it comes back again!
jules 26-Dec-2008 12:34
Hi there. Just had an encounter today with giant black wasp approx 2 inches. Of the 10 years living in western australia have never encountered one before. It was at window, trapped behind venetian blind and distressed, but quite freaked out along with the kids so sprayed it with baygone. Only like doing that to white tail spiders and red back spiders.
Stephen 09-Sep-2008 11:41
I'm pretty sure this is what I saw flying around my "porch". I live in a town house in Northern California (Walnut Creek area), and we have a garage that is attached via a closed in alcove. We have a lot of wasps nests under the Spanish tile roofing, but I was standing out in front of my garage smoking with a friend of mine and this thing scared the crap out of us. I yelled, "What the **** is *that*!" And we ran for it.. heh. The one we saw was probably about 3 inches long or so and quite a bit fatter than this picture. I saw it buzz my sliding glass door earlier today, so I know it's not gone. I just have to keep on my toes I guess.
Guest 07-Sep-2008 21:40
yes this is the the exact look alike wasp that stung me today
Joan 07-Sep-2008 03:20
OMG!! My cat started meowing in the living room today...I went to see what was wrong..I didn't see anything at that time!! I was getting ready to go to the store and Moses was sitting on the back of the loveseat by the window pawing at it!!! THERE IT WAS..THIS HUGE BLACK WASP!! I grabbed the cat and put him in the bathroom and closed the door..I got spray and sprayed until it wasn't moving anymore!! I'm NOT a fan of stinging bugs INSIDE my house!!! I also had chill bumps & my hands were shaking!! I'm just HAPPY that I found it BEFORE I left the house..my kitties would/could have gotten stung!! YIKES!! I'm in Chicago!!!
Guest 03-Sep-2008 04:02
I live in Asheville, NC and saw one running(?) through the grass. As I got closer to look at it, it turned slightly, as though it knew I was there and started running faster. I had the impression it would have attacked if I kept following it. It had iridescent blue wings and an all black body, 2" long...never seen anything like it! Had an all black wasp in the house, but it was a Mason wasp, much smaller, harmless. From what I've read here, these GBW seem to have some consciousness...eerie! Cheryl
Brent L. Cutler 30-Aug-2008 16:58
We live in Prospect, Kentucky(near Louisville) and have an 8 stall horse barn. Wasps are not uncommon, but I saw the 2 inch, solid black carrying an insect down into a hole. We have a two year old and I am always concerned about anything that could either sting him and/or spook a horse. I ended its life and ran in case there were more. Now I see they are not aggressive, can anyone tell me if it stings?
jensenp 30-Aug-2008 06:31
For Peggy:
I found this to be the most helpful online resource I could find ...
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_a_Great_Black_Wasp
What is a Great Black Wasp?
A Great Black Wasp, sphex pennsylvanica, also known as Katydid Killer, is a large solitary non-aggressive black wasp of up to 1 1/2 inches in length. One of the solitary digger wasps, it feeds on nectar, sap, and other insects.

Nesting habit:
Digs a burrow, one egg per chamber, into each of which it places a large insect such as a cicada or katydid which provides food for the hatched young.
Novice identification is simple, in that:
• Wasps fly with their feet trailing below rather than tucked up against their bodies like bees and hornets
• No other wasps in North America are both this large and an unmarked dark black/blue-black. eg, Cuckoo Wasps are also blue-black, but are very small, and Great Golden Digger Wasps are large, but browner and with markings.
What to do if one has wandered indoors:
• Turn out the lights in succession (starting at the back of the room andmoving the line of dimness toward the door) encourages it to fly back outside toward the sunlight.
• Unless physically disturbed, they won't bother you, so don't try to shoo them toward the door. Although they generally ignore people, at that point you may become a target.
• Flyswatters are unlikely to be sufficient, and just irritate the insect. Once aggravated, they will sting.
Peggy 29-Aug-2008 23:12
Can any body give me further information about this magnificent insect? Like its life cycly, living habits and prey? I think I have a colony of them in my stone wall. They have dug out several cups full of soil and are quite at home.I can find no information except comments about them. I need an entomologist. Help.
Peter 29-Aug-2008 21:52
Moultonborough, NH - Yesterday, 8/28/2008, saw something that looked pretty much like this fellow - close to two inches long - working its way through the flowers on some tall flowering shrubs that line the parking lot at our local municipal building - early evening - our local bee expert (currently 3 honeybee hives) said he had never seen anything like the dark monster I described - neither have I - very interesting set of comments here.
Laura 23-Aug-2008 13:13
Yesterday, a Great Black Wasp flew into my house scared the heck out me--flying back and forth over my head--the biggest wasp I've ever seen! I caught it and measured it to be 1.75" long. I didn't know we had these in Connecticut. Never saw one before!
Sarah 22-Aug-2008 06:47
Wow. I didn't believe these bugs excited, I just had a guy friend call me about these wasps. He said while he was tanning he felt a really sharp stinging pain on his butt cheek. He put his hand down to see what it was and he cought one of these. He took it to the doctor with him and they gave him some meds his swollan butt sting, so he's fine. But I have never seen one myself till I googled to this page, but wow, I would hate for these insects to cross my path.
Guest 21-Aug-2008 20:20
Louise August 21, 2008
We have them also in Coon Rapids, MN. Today is the first time I have found these great pictures of one. Very aggressive but cool looking.
Blake 21-Aug-2008 16:02
Blake from royal pool and spa in white bear lake minnesota. we captured one in our store and it is wicked looking. lots of scare.
Claudia 19-Aug-2008 19:03
OMG !! We just saw one of these carrying a locus type grasshopper... this thing is huge and scary! From Lake Ida, west central Minnesota :(
Jennifer 19-Aug-2008 04:48
Yep, They are in Sacramento! Thought I was hearing a rat in the rafters of my garage, turned out to be one of these banging against the shop light repeatedly. Weve got it floating in a jar of alcohol and took photos of it next to a ruler and next to a quarter. It is so unbelievably big-- never seen anything this large in Sacto--does anyone know where they are from? We've got big black widows, but this is ridiculous.
matt soucie 17-Aug-2008 19:53
i have seen these goliaths under my step and around my back yard.i just killed one in my house with a golf club, i also killed 3 last summer in august.they are very smart and carefully watch what youre doing when you are around them.do they sting and should i be worried , i have 2 little girls, 2 and 4 years old. please give me some info.could hey hav a nest under my step and how big is a nest approximately?????????????? thanx for the help.
Lisa 16-Aug-2008 01:39
OMG..So they for sure have made it out to Northern California. One just buzzed into my frount door. The thikng was the bigist Bug I ever seen.. Theis was like 45 minutes ago and I still ahve goosed bumps. I am not sure if they are from his/her size or the fact that I have never seen anything like it before.It was almost stairing me down. My husband traped it in a large bath towl and took it out side. ( THe bug lover i am not, I still wanted him to set it free).Oh...I am keeping the kids in for the nigh
Guest 13-Aug-2008 01:17
Guess what? They've come out to California now! My wife thought it was a hummingbird at first, since it was buzzing around our grapevine. It's now holding our grapes hostage. Everytime we go near, it makes sure we know to stay away. We can't decide if the next step is to get out the pellet gun or call an exterminator. I don't want to be around it either way.
marnyd 09-Aug-2008 17:25
august 2008 today this magnificent 2 inch long black wasp landed on my trailblazer's radio antennae. I approached it to get a "bird's eye view", but stopped short and backed up when I saw the very long stinger on it's backside drip 2 large drops of a clear liquid (I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that the drops were venom !!!!) I got the message, as the black behemoth seemed to be watching me the entire time. I let the great wasp alone. As far as I was concerned, he could have the keys to the truck and all my groceries, if he wanted them......just don't sting me!!!!! P.S. It's been a phenomenal year for strange and exotic looking caterpillars here in western new york (near where Lake Erie and Lake Ontario meet.)
Alison 08-Aug-2008 16:26
Me and my mom have this outdoor tent and there was this black wasp in it my mom didn't know what it was and she asked me to get it out so I got the butterfly net and caught it. I put it under a bucket and realised that was mean my sister was with me and I told her to stand back then she went behind the doghouse I had kitchen gloves on in case it stung me and I lifted up the bucket and ran into the house then about a minute later my sister barged through the front door and said that it was chasing her but then she got over it and settled down and that was the last I've seen of a black wasp.
kitchell 31-Jul-2008 17:37
I have a ground nest of GBW in my back yard. Around the nest in the morning it looks like a black tornado of activity. Bee spray, gas, fire; none of these things work for me any ways. I tried to drown them out but got only a portion of them cause the hive is so big. What can I do to kill them all without draining my wallet?? Oh yeah..I watched them attack a bird...scarry!
David DeGraaf 30-Jul-2008 00:40
For about 4 years we have been seeing these black wasp at my place of employment. These things are big, scary looking, like no other. As another has said they show up in the heat of the summer. There is a special spot that we see them by our building were there are 4" to 6" rocks for land scaping. They buss around and land in the rocks and crawl down under them like there going to a hive. After watching them for longer periods they do not go to the same spot twice or do they all go to the same area. It seems they are looking for food???
Also on 2 occasions I have seen them land on the rocks with something that is simalar to a grass hopper that is twice there size, it seems they eat other bugs.
They are pretty resistant to the bee and wasp spray, believe me we have tried several times. I'm thinking flame thrower would be the best?
Though they seem aggressive we have never been stung, even though we tried many times to get rid of them, we spray and run. Good luck, let me know if anything works? Holland Mich.
Guest 24-Jul-2008 19:28
hellos. My name is Daniel lopez. Yesterday I saw somthing stuck
in the window. I thought it was a beattle I got it by its antenas.
When I got it I saw it was a black wasp. I have never seen one.
Ever since I got a rash on both of my armes what should I do.
Bev Wigney 15-Jun-2008 21:50
There are smaller ones that are all black, but this kind (Great Black Wasp) is very large compared to the others.
Haley Lou 15-Jun-2008 19:26
I was cleaning up my porch and I saw one. I see them all the time. Why are they called the Great wasps? They look like a regular one.
Bev Wigney 16-Sep-2007 13:57
I don't know that there would be more of these around that usual, but if you happen to be in the right place at the right time, I guess you'll see them. One thing I've been wondering about with many of the reports I've had of people seeing various caterpillars, spiders, flying insects, etc.. is if it's more a case of people just becoming increasingly observant of insects these days. For years, it seemed that not that many people were so interested in insects, but the number who take the time to try to figure out what they are seeing seems to be on the increase.
Guest 15-Sep-2007 19:47
I saw one yesterday as I was cleaning up the yard and picking up crab apples. This is in Medicine Hat Alberta. Then today the owner of the house saw the same black wasp
Have never seen one before, are they common to this area?
Bev Wigney 10-Sep-2007 12:36
Paul - I seem to find this species mainly in late summer, so perhaps they're around where you are, but just for awhile each year, so escape notice. I can't imagine what is wrong with the bees and wasps around your place, but it does sound a bit like pesticide poisoning, doesn't it. Some species of wasps feed on spiders, so perhaps they're being poisoned after feeding on prey that has ingested the granules.
Regarding this site, it's one of my online photogalleries. I'm a nature photographer and have so far posted about 5,000 of my images (mainly insects). I'm constantly adding to the collection as I have time.
Paul 10-Sep-2007 02:28
Greetings! Thanks to whomever runs this site,most especially for the info on Black Wasps.While outdoors today,we found a black wasp on the ground. This was very unusual for Colorado/Colorado Springs. I have lived here over 20 years and never seen one. Size was about an inch to inch and a quarter long. Odd additional occurrence, over the last 3-4 weeks, I have been finding live bees/wasps, including this black one,crawling around on the ground,not flying.With today's black wasp,found on the ground,an additional 6-7 yellow wasps also crawling around. Only pesticide used (over 1 month ago)standard 'ant/spider' granule. Usually 'barely' kills the ants.Weird.Thanks again!
Bev Wigney 05-Jul-2007 17:25
Joyce - I don't know anything about how to get rid of them. I've only seen them in my garden a few times since photographing this one. If you do a Google search for "Sphex pennsylvanicus" and just check out some of the websites that come up, you'll probably find at least one or two that have information on how to get rid of them.
Joyce Aldrich 05-Jul-2007 16:30
I live in Southern Michigan and I have these flying all over my flower garden. Since they arrived there are no other bees or butterflies. They are very agressive. Is there any way to get rid of them? I can't go near my flowers during the day when they are here. Also was stung by one. Any information on ridding my garden of these wasps would really be appreciated. Thank You
Digoy 18-Sep-2006 14:04
I'was stung with one of these back in our country southern part of the philippines at the province of bukidnon. They form their nest out of dirt into an oblong shape hanging unto a remote tree branch. These bees are very agressive it is attracted to dark color specially black and that's my head. This wasp's sting felt like a sling shot at least that's like it when i was ten. Just in approx' 20 mins. i was partially blind,confused,felt like i was inside a water tank, and worse it seemed a heavy cargo was on my head. My most fear at that time was the rumor that this wasp can kill a waterbuffalo from a single sting (of course one wasp, one sting), guest i almost died that day.
If you get stung someday, God forbid! quickly run to a safe place, call another person if there is anybody,for help!!! tell him/her to carefully remove the stinger needle (it pumps venom very slow)i'm sure He/she will not miss it specially if it comes from a 3" wasp, and of course call emergency. You might just have to suffer from a very very high fever and lots of vomits but better than being dead!!!
Anyway that was the most dreadful day of my life and not bad probably turned me out to be the most religious boy at that moment too.Yet there was a story behind that incident but maybe next time.
Bev Wigney 29-Jun-2006 01:23
Hi Bonnie -- Well, that's quite an encounter with a wasp or bee! Hard to be sure of what kind it would be, but if you ever get a chance to shoot a photo, it would be interesting to see what kind of insect it was. I've run into the odd aggressive insect. About two years ago, a very large, mostly yellow bumblebee (I think Bombus fervidus) would chase my dog and I whenever we went through one of the gates in a field here at my farm. It got so that it would come after us even before we got to the gate. We also had a bee that hung out in the cedar bush by the hydro meter and would come after anyone who walked around that corner of our house. It never stung, but it was so aggressive that it could put us or our dog on the run as we didn't trust it. So, I'm not all that surprised to hear a story such as yours. What is interesting in all of these examples is that the insect didn't actually sting, but just acted threatening. One wonders if they really would sting, or if it's all just a bluff. The problem is, who really wants to find out for sure. (-:
Bonnie 28-Jun-2006 12:52
Ok, I was stalked, literly by a big black flying ( Bee Im sure) with something hanging from its body as it flew it was at least one and a half inches long. I was taking a bath the other day when this thing, flew by me and landed on the shower curtain. Nervous, cause I got stung in my car the other day by, I guess a bumble bee or carpenter bee, I got out and ran to my room and grabbed a jar with a lid and captured it . I put it out on a brick outside the house, we had retaining wall bricks stacked about neck high out there. I opened the jar to let it out, it just kept flying around in the jar, trying to sting the jar. I left it there, returned to the bath, got dressed and made coffee and started to pack the car up for work. The darn thing was laying on the bottom of the jar. This had to be a half hour later. I thought, darn bee, so I dumped it out. To my amazement, it turned itself over, and stood there in pounce mode.. LOL it actually was staring at me. I got freiked, and went inside, after telling it to leave, go fly away, you dont belong in my house! (as my kids would say, only I would talk to a bee,LOL) I went in and got the coffee, and my keys, locked up.. The darn thing, 10 ,minutes more have passed now, is still standing there staring at the door.
Well, ok i locked the door , and as I walked by this thing, I told it to go away again, fly off, leave, and headed to the car. You know what the darn thing chased me to my car. I jumped in and locked door. LOL, it flew under my hood. I havent seen it since, but I have never had a bee act that agressive. Does anybody think its one of these black wasps? I live in Saint Paul Minnesota, and I have seen these bees before at this house, but not very many. Maybe they arent bees, but the way it was trying to sting that glass, I would say it was one. It gets me it played possom for almost a half an hour. Is that normal? Im sure i MADE IT MAD , but hey , a gals gotta do what a gals gota do, didnt feel like having that onlooker in the tub. Sure would like to know what exactly it was.. I should have just kept it in the jar, but was trying to be humaine. I should have took a pic of it with the digital camera on timer ofcourse., next time I will.
Bev Wigney 23-Sep-2004 22:07
Thanks for the ID, Eric. I wasn't sure on the ID due to the lack of metallic colour and also the size of the Chlorion seems like it must be too small. This insect was huge!! (-:
Eric Eaton 23-Sep-2004 21:10
Great black wasp, Sphex pennsylvanicus. Chlorion rarely visits flowers and is obviously metallic blue or violet.