Cicada Killer Control in Schertz, TX
In Schertz, cicada killers show up in summer as startlingly large wasps, rusty red up front with yellow bands on a black abdomen, cruising low over the lawn while small holes with mounds of loose soil appear in sunny, bare patches. They look alarming, but the big ones buzzing at you are mostly males, which cannot sting, and AgriLife says control is rarely needed. If burrows sit right in a play area or someone at home is allergic to wasp stings, call or text (210) 281-1064, or book online, and we can take a look.
What that giant wasp is, and what it isn't #
AgriLife puts the cicada killer at about 1 1/2 inches, while Insects in the City gives a typical range of 1 1/2 to 2 inches. Texas A&M's bee inspection service calls it one of the largest wasps in the country. Its size is why so many people fear it is a "murder hornet."
It is not. That insect has never been found in Texas. A cicada killer has a head narrower than its thorax, russet wings and a habit of digging in the ground. If you want to rule out other big wasps, see what that giant hornet in Schertz most likely is.
The insect is native to Texas and solitary. Each female digs her own burrow, paralyzes a cicada, drags it underground and lays an egg on it. There is no colony to defend, which is why it behaves so differently from yellowjackets.
Why Schertz lawns draw them in #
Cicada killers want home lawns, gardens and flower beds with sandy or bare, well-drained soil in full sun. Schertz has a lot of that kind of ground. Census survey figures put 86.3% of the city's housing in single-family detached homes, so most households have a yard of their own rather than a shared courtyard.
The city is still filling in. The Census Bureau's July 2024 estimate puts Schertz at 44,428 residents, up 5.7% from the 2020 count of 42,024 (Census estimates). New homes often come with fresh sod that has not knit together, edging strips and newly dug beds, and those thin, sunny spots are just what a digging female looks for. Several females may gather where the soil suits them, so one good patch can host many holes.
Shade trees matter too. AgriLife notes these wasps are a nuisance mainly when cicadas are singing in nearby trees, since that is their prey.
Do you actually need to treat them? #
Usually not. Three AgriLife sources agree that cicada killers are beneficial and seldom call for control, and the males that dive at you are bluffing. Treatment is worth considering when:
- Burrows are concentrated in a play area, under a swing set or along a path kids run barefoot
- A family member has a known allergy to wasp stings
- The holes are in a garden bed you work in daily
Females can sting if they are stepped on or grabbed, and AgriLife's wasp bulletin notes that barefoot lawn workers sometimes find that out (E-239). The sting causes sharp pain and local swelling.
Living with them for the summer #
- Wear shoes on any part of the lawn with burrows.
- Do not swing at hovering males; they have no stinger.
- In a garden bed, once nesting season ends, cover the area with a garden fabric and mulch. Insects in the City says that should stop next year's emergence from that spot.
- Watch for signs of an allergic reaction after any sting: trouble breathing or swallowing, dizziness, vomiting or a spreading rash mean medical help right away.
Learn more in our cicada killer guide.
How Pest Trappers handles cicada killers in Schertz #
First the technician confirms the ID, because a hole with yellowjackets going in and out calls for a very different response than a cicada killer burrow. If the burrows are where nobody walks, you will likely hear that leaving them is reasonable. Where treatment makes sense, they explain the options and apply any product only as its label directs, burrow by burrow. You get a price after the inspection. Pest Trappers LLC (TPCL #0887549) is family-owned and licensed by the Texas Department of Agriculture. Our Schertz page lists what else we handle in town.